Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream
This rich homemade chocolate hazelnut ice cream doesn't skimp on hazelnut flavor. A creamy traditional ice cream base is infused with homemade hazelnut butter. Just as it finishes churning, we'll slowly pour in melted semi sweet chocolate chocolate to create the most delectable chocolate bits throughout! This is a special occasion ice cream recipe that is worth the added effort.
Equipment
Ingredients
Homemade Hazelnut Butter
- 1 cup (roughly 5¼ oz) raw hazelnuts, skin-on
Ice Cream Base
- 6 Safest Choice pasteurized egg yolks
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (360 mL) whole milk
- 1½ cups (360 mL) heavy cream 350 mL heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- small pinch of kosher salt
- batch of homemade hazelnut butter see recipe above
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate broken into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prepare the Homemade Hazelnut Butter: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place the raw hazelnuts on the pan, and toast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fragrant and the skins are just beginning to crack.
- Transfer the hot hazelnuts to the center of clean, large kitchen towel. Grab ends of towel to close and allow hazelnuts to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Use your hands to roll and rub hazelnuts within the towel to remove their skins. If necessary, toast any stubborn hazelnuts in the oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes to help loosen their skins.
- Transfer the hazelnuts to bowl of large food processor. Process for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula every few minutes, or until a very creamy and smooth butter forms. It will be dry, thick, and crumbly in the first few minutes of processing. As oil from the hazelnuts is released, it will transform into a loose nut butter. Set aside as you prepare the ice cream base.
- Prepare the Ice Cream Base: Whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar in medium mixing bowl until thick and pale yellow in color. Whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with wooden spoon and adjusting the heat as necessary, until mixture has thickened. The mixture is ready when it coats the back of the spoon and holds when swiped with a finger. Immediately transfer the ice cream mixture to large mixing bowl. Add vanilla extract, salt, and hazelnut butter and whisk until well combined. Allow to cool to room temperature. Strain mixture through fine-meshed sieve into a large, refrigerator-safe container. Cover and refrigerate until very chilled, ideally 12 hours.
- Churn the ice cream mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once the ice cream has almost finished churning, combine the chocolate and butter in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between each one, until the chocolate and butter have melted completely and the mixture is smooth. Scrape the chocolate into small plastic bag and seal, squeezing out any excess air. The chocolate should be warm (if necessary, place the closed bag in a bowl of warm water as the ice cream finishes churning) throughout this process.
- In the last minutes of churning, snip a very small hole from the bottom corner of the plastic bag and drizzle the chocolate in thin stream into ice cream as it is churning. Transfer ice cream to airtight container and cover the surface of ice cream with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Freeze ice cream for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
Tips for Success:
- For additional texture in every bite, feel free to reserve a few whole, skinned hazelnuts. Finely chop and add them to the ice cream in the last few minutes of churning!
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 210mg, Sodium: 45mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 26g