French Chocolate Ice Cream Recipes

CLASSIC FRENCH CHOCOLATE ÉCLAIR RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• Combine the butter, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir the mixture until the butter melts and is incorporated into the water.
• Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium-low. Stir vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a ball, pulls away from the sides of the saucepan, and a thin film develops on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Continue to stir the dough vigorously so the dough dries out a bit and moisture evaporates, another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Let cool, stirring occasionally on a low setting until the dough is only slightly warm to the touch. Beat in the eggs, one at a time on low speed until each one is well incorporated into the batter and the dough looks smooth before adding the next egg. Alternatively, use a wooden spoon, stirring vigorously and continuously after each egg is added.
• Spoon the choux pastry dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch star tip and pipe six 4-inch lengths onto each baking sheet.
• Bake one sheet at a time until the eclair shells are very puffed and just beginning to show slight color, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 F and continue to bake until the pastries are golden brown and dry-looking, 16 to 18 minutes more. The shells should sound hollow when lightly tapped.
• Remove them from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before filling. Be sure to bring the oven back to 425 F before baking the second batch.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear on the surface.
• Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Add the cornstarch and salt, whisking well to combine.
• In a thin stream, pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture while continuing to whisk constantly until well combined.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl clean with a silicone spatula. Over medium heat, cook while whisking constantly until it thickens to the consistency of a thick pudding, about 3 1/2 minutes. It may look lumpy as the pastry cream starts to thicken, but will smooth out as you continue to whisk.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a large clean bowl and whisk in the vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge or over an ice bath until completely cooled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours or overnight.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the finely chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the heavy cream until it's just beginning to boil. Remove from the heat immediately.
• Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Stir the mixture until the all the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.
• Set the chocolate glaze aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally until cool, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Poke three small even holes in the bottom of the eclair shells with a 3/16-inch wide plain pastry tip or Bismark tip. Whisk the cold pastry cream to lighten the texture. Fit a pastry bag with the pastry tip and fill with pastry cream, being sure not to overfill the bag.
• Pipe the cream into each hole until it starts to seep out of the top or you feel the pastry starting to get heavy (about 4 tablespoons of pastry cream per shell). Alternatively, slice the pastry shell in half lengthwise with a serrated knife and fill evenly with 4 tablespoons of the pastry cream.
• Gently spread 1 tablespoon of chocolate glaze onto the éclair or carefully dip the top of each filled éclair into the glaze (use this method only if you filled the shells from the bottom). Chill about 30 minutes to set the glaze before serving.

FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream, milk, and vanilla and whisk to blend.
• Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.
• Makes 1 Quart **Variation: add 1 cup coarsely chopped Reese's Peanut butter cups, after ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it is done) let it continue processing.

VERY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine sugar, milk, salt, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer. Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid. and return to the saucepan. Heat until thickened, but do not boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chopped chocolate until chocolate is melted. Pour into a chilled bowl, and refrigerate for about two hours until cold, stirring occasionally.
• When chocolate mixture has completely cooled, stir in the cream, and vanilla. Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put cream and milk into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Scrape vanilla seeds from beans with the tip of a small knife into pan; add beans. Heat the mixture until hot (do not let simmer), about 2 minutes. Remove mixture from heat; cover, and let stand 30 minutes.
• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Put yolks, sugar, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until yolk mixture has tripled in volume and can hold a ribbon on surface for 2 seconds, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium. Ladle 1 cup cream mixture in a slow stream into yolk mixture to temper it. Add another cup cream mixture; beat to combine. Transfer mixture to saucepan; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and an instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees; 5 to 7 minutes.
• Pour custard through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool completely, stirring often.
• Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately, or freeze in an airtight plastic container until ready to serve. If frozen for more than 4 hours, let ice cream stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put cream and milk into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the mixture until hot (do not let simmer), about 2 minutes. Remove mixture from heat; cover, and let stand 30 minutes.
• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Put yolks, sugar, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until yolk mixture has tripled in volume and can hold a ribbon on surface for 2 seconds, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium. Ladle 1 cup cream mixture in a slow stream into yolk mixture to temper it. Add another cup cream mixture; beat to combine. Transfer mixture to saucepan; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and an instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees; 5 to 7 minutes. Stir bittersweet and milk chocolates into custard.
• Pour custard through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool completely, stirring often.
• Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately, or freeze in an airtight plastic container until ready to serve. If frozen for more than 4 hours, let ice cream stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat milk in medium saucepan.
• Stir in chocolate, continue stirring until chocolate is melted.
• In another bowl, combine sugar with flour; stir in a little hot milk/chocolate mixture, add beaten egg to chocolate mixture; then add egg mixture to milk/chocolate.
• Stir over low heat until thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Cool in refrigerator at least 1 hour, or until well chilled.
• Stir in whipping cream and vanilla.
• Freeze in ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.
• Note: The use of the flour will help to give the ice cream body and smoothness.

NO-CHURN CHOCOLATE DREAM ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Chill a 9-inch loaf pan or glass container in the freezer.
• Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl of an electric mixer. Using a whisk attachment, whip until stiff. Fold in the condensed milk. Divide the mixture between 2 large bowls.
• To one of the bowls, add the cocoa powder, melted semisweet chocolate and chocolate chips, then fold into the whipped cream.
• To the second bowl of whipped cream, add the melted white chocolate and chopped white chocolate, then fold in.
• Layer the different cream bases into the chilled loaf pan a couple spoonfuls at a time. (There is no rhyme or reason when layering; you want it to be imperfect.) Once all of the base has been added to the pan, swirl the two using a skewer or butter knife. Sprinkle an assortment of sprinkles over the top and wrap lightly with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.
• When ready to serve, scoop into individual glasses and top with additional sprinkles.

MELTED CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Whisk the melted ice cream, salt and egg in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, dip 2 slices of bread into the egg mixture and cook in the skillet until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side; repeat with remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and 2 slices bread. Serve warm with maple syrup and dust with confectioners' sugar.