With all the hot summer weather we’ve been having for the past few weeks, I just had to do another ice cream recipe. This is a basic chocolate ice cream recipe from the instruction booklet of a previous ice cream maker. It’s good as is or it can be dressed up with add ins. We’ve experimented with different add ins like chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels, peanut butter cups, raspberry sauce, cinnamon cookie dough & almond sugar cookie dough. It’s hard to come up with a favorite when there are so many options!

My current ice cream maker is the fourth one I’ve owned. I’ve had makers from three different manufacturers. The Cuisinart one I use now has held up the best under our constant use.

Chocolate Ice Cream (adapted from the Krups Instruction Manual for the Ice Cream Maker)

• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups cream

Mix the milk, egg and sugar together in a medium pot. Heat the mixture slowly over medium heat until it is thickened, about 15 minutes, whisking constantly.

Making the ice cream base.

Remove the mixture from the heat when the mixture just begins to bubble, BEFORE it comes to a boil.

Heat the base to just below the boiling point.

Mix in the cocoa powder and the vanilla and allow the base to cool to room temperature.

The vanilla extract and the cocoa powder get added after the base comes off the heat.

Add the cream to the base and refrigerate it until it is well chilled, 4-24 hours.  When it is thoroughly chilled, add the base to the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

The cream is added when the base has cooled.

Any additions to the base should be made when the base starts to thicken, just before it is done.

Almond sugar cookie dough balls went into this batch of chocolate ice cream.

Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, putting a layer of plastic wrap over the ice cream and pressing it down to prevent ice crystals from forming on the ice cream, then secure the lid and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Mmmm!

What will you put in your chocolate ice cream?!  ~Linda