Napping with Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk & Cashews: Ice Cream #6

Happy National Ice-Cream Month! It is no secret that I am a chocolate addict. I love chocolate in just about any form, especially ice-cream. So, when I found this recipe in the New York Times last spring, I knew it was meant for me. I immediately clipped it out and placed it in my permanent recipe binder. In the past year I have probably made this recipe at least a dozen times. It is a snap to make and always satisfies even my most intense chocolate cravings.

Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Ice Cream with Salted Cashews
Adapted from the New York Times, April 2008
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate: 5 oz. roughly chopped, 5 oz. finely chopped
3 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 t. instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia D'Oro)
8 large egg yolks
1 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 c. roasted salted cashews, chopped (I have used roasted salted almonds instead, and they taste great, too)
Yields 2 quarts

1. Coarsely chop 5 oz. of bittersweet chocolate and 1 c. roasted salted cashews. Place in the freezer.

3. Pour 5 oz. of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate into a heatproof bowl, set next to stove.

2. Bring whole milk, heavy cream and espresso powder to a boil in a large saucepan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes and make sure the espresso powder is completely dissolved. Then, pour milk mixture over finely chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and salt, until thick and well mixed. Slowly, add the chocolate mixture to the egg/sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Once all liquid has been added, mix well. Pour the incorporated mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a medium low heat, stirring continuously. Do not let mixture come to a boil!

3. Once custard thickens (enough to coat the back of the spoon), remove pan from heat and pour over a strainer into a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate the custard for 4-6 hours, or overnight.

4. Scrape the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. By hand, add the chopped chocolate and cashews, and mix to incorporate throughout frozen custard. Pack ice cream into a container and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Note: if you freeze the ice cream for a night before use, ice cream will be very dense. Remove 10-15 minutes before you wish to serve.