Chocolate Sourdough Ice Cream (Printer-friendly)
Rich chocolate meets tangy sourdough in this creamy frozen delight with unique depth.
# What You Need:
→ Ice Cream Base
01 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
02 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 4 large egg yolks
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Chocolate Mixture
06 - 4 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
07 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
→ Sourdough Addition
08 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter (unfed discard, room temperature)
# How to Make It:
01 - In a medium saucepan, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, and half of the granulated sugar. Warm gently over medium heat until the mixture begins to steam, taking care not to bring it to a boil.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and salt until the mixture turns pale yellow and reaches a creamy consistency.
03 - Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the yolk bowl in a thin stream, whisking continuously to gradually raise the temperature without scrambling the eggs. Transfer the tempered mixture back into the saucepan.
04 - Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
06 - Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps or cooked egg bits. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
07 - Once the custard has cooled, whisk in the unfed sourdough starter until it is fully blended and no streaks remain.
08 - Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to develop flavor and ensure a smooth churn.
09 - Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a thick, creamy consistency resembling soft-serve.
10 - Transfer the churned ice cream into a lidded container, smooth the top, and freeze for at least 2 hours until firm enough to scoop and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The tang from sourdough starter cuts through the richness of chocolate in a way that makes people close their eyes and ask what is in this.
- It uses up discard that would otherwise get tossed, so you feel clever and indulgent at the same time.
02 -
- If your custard scrambles even slightly, strain it immediately and keep going because the chocolate will hide most textural sins.
- The sourdough flavor intensifies slightly after freezing, so do not be alarmed if it tastes more pronounced the next day.
03 -
- Chilling the base overnight instead of the minimum four hours gives the starches and proteins time to hydrate, which translates to a smoother churn.
- Folding in a handful of mini chocolate chips right before the final freeze adds little bursts of texture that contrast beautifully with the creamy tang.