Chocolate Ice Cream

Chocolate ice cream.  Big yawn, right?  Well, not if you've got a Cuisinart ice cream maker.  I started this chocolate ice cream (recipe courtesy of the Cuisinart website) while I was making dinner and it was ready by the time we were ready for dessert.  And it was SO good.  Creamy, chocolaty but not too sweet.  Serve yourself a scoop and don't think about the fat content.  Just enjoy.

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process preferred)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cups whole milk
3-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Place the cocoa and sugars in a medium bowl; stir to combine. Add the whole milk and use a hand mixer on low speed or whisk to combine until the cocoa and sugars are dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. If not freezing immediately, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Turn machine on; pour mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 25 to 35 minutes (it's a fun show for the kids).

The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture (see left). 

If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving. (The photo, right, is of tonight's batch just before I popped it in the freezer to firm up.)

Everyone in the family devoured it.