A match made in heaven, this Mocha Ice Cream is packed with both dark chocolate and coffee and I don’t think I could love an ice cream more. The key to making this rich and creamy chocolate ice cream into a mocha ice cream is the espresso powder and chocolate covered espresso beans from Hoosier Hill Farms.
What is Mocha Ice Cream made of?
Mocha Ice Cream uses the same base as any other ice cream meaning it can be just milk, cream, and sugar OR it can also have eggs in it. Once you have the base, the thing that makes it mocha is the addition of chocolate (in this case cocoa powder and dark chocolate) and espresso or coffee (in this case, espresso powder and chocolate covered espresso beans).
Does Mocha Ice Cream have coffee in it?
Yes! In order for something to be mocha it needs both coffee and chocolate. However this one uses espresso powder rather than brewed coffee because it provides a more intense flavor without the water that is in brewed coffee.
Is homemade ice cream better with eggs or without?
This is 100% a personal preference. I prefer a custard based ice cream meaning it is made with egg yolks because it gives a creamier texture and richer flavor. Unfortunately you cannot just leave out the egg yolks because it will majorly affect the consistency of the ice cream.
What coffee is best for mocha ice cream?
As previously mentioned I recommend using espresso powder such as this one from Hoosier Hill Farms because it really packs a punch which helps it stand up to the strong chocolate. That being said any ground coffee or espresso will work.
Additional Recipes to try!
- Berry Ice Cream Cake
- Puff Pastry Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Spaghettieis (German Spaghetti Ice Cream)
Tips for making Mocha Ice Cream
- Be sure to follow the steps in order. It’s important that once you start cooking the custard, everything else is set up and ready to go.
- When cooking a custard, the key is low and slow. Don’t get impatient when tempering the eggs (meaning add the hot milk mixture slowly) and don’t cook on a high heat. It can seem like it is taking a while, although this one goes quite quickly, but all of a sudden it will be thick and the little surface bubbles will have disappeared.
- Once the surface bubbles are gone, you can take the custard off the heat. If the custard curdles meaning the egg is cooked to intensely and becomes clumpy, it unfortunately cannot be used and you should start again. BUT as long as you follow the instructions this is pretty unlikely.
- Unless you have an extra large ice cream machine, I don’t recommend scaling the recipe because it will not be able to churn fully before the frozen portion of the machine begins to defrost.
Ingredients
- Dark Chocolate: Anything from semi sweet to 70% dark chocolate will be great for this recipe just be sure it is pure baking chocolate and not chocolate chips which contain additives. If you choose an unsweetened chocolate, the ice cream will be too bitter in combination with the espresso.
- Egg yolks: This recipe uses 6 egg yolks from standard large eggs. They don’t need to be at room temperature just separated from the whites.
- Milk: Any cows milk will work from skim to whole. I haven’t tested this recipe with plant based milks so I’m not sure that they would work successfully.
- Heavy Cream: This can be heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, either one will work. Again I don’t recommend using plant based alternatives.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar is used to balance out the dark chocolate and espresso in this mocha ice cream as well as create a soft texture. I think it could also be delicious with half brown sugar but you may need to play around a bit with the proportions.
- Espresso Powder: I love this espresso powder from Hoosier Hill Farms when it comes to baking because it really packs a flavor punch but any ground coffee will work!
- Cocoa Powder: Natural or Dutch processed cocoa powder will work for this recipe, if you love dark chocolate then you can use the extra dark cocoa powder as well (not black cocoa).
- Salt: A touch of salt not only balances out the sweetness but it also enhances the chocolate and espresso flavors.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract may seem counterintuitive but it actually also enhances chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate Espresso Beans: These are somewhat optional but not really. I love chocolate covered espresso beans like these from Hoosier Hill Farms because you get both flavors in one and they add a nice texture to the ice cream! If you don’t have them, you could always swirl in chopped chocolate and plain coffee beans.
How to make Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream
Prep the Chocolate
- Chop the dark chocolate into 1/4″ sized chunks and transfer them into a large heat safe bowl. Place a fine mesh sieve over the top and set aside.
Make the Custard
- Place all 6 egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and half of the sugar into a medium pot. Whisk to combine.
- Pour in the milk and heavy cream and whisk again.
- Place the pot over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning until it is steaming. While it heats up, add the remaining sugar into the bowl with the egg yolks and whisk to combine.
- Set the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar on a damp cloth. This will keep it from spinning when you whisk it.
- Once the milk mixture is steaming and the dry ingredients have fully mixed in, remove it from the heat and set it next to the bowl with the egg yolks.
- While whisking the egg yolks constantly, use a ladle to slowly drizzle the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Don’t stop whisking, this is called tempering the eggs and it helps prevent them from curdling.
- Add about 1 cup of the milk mixture into the egg yolks. Then switch to whisking the remaining milk mixture in the pot and slowly pouring in the tempered eggs.
- Return the pot to the stove and cook over low or medium low heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula, alternating between a figure 8 pattern and scraping the sides of the pot.
- Continue cooking and stirring until the surface bubbles have disappeared and the mixture has thickened. Once both have occurred remove the pot from the heat. Pour it through the fine mesh sieve into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
- Remove the sieve and leave the mixture to sit for 1 minute before whisking to combine. Then whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Place a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard and allow it to come to room temperature before storing in the fridge overnight to cool completely.
- Make sure any parts of your ice cream maker that need to be frozen are in your freezer as well.
Churning & Assembling
- The next day, remove the plastic from the mocha custard and set up your ice cream maker.
- Follow the instructions on your ice cream maker to set it up. Pour the chilled custard into the ice cream maker. Churn until it looks like soft serve, it should be thick.
- While the ice cream churns, crush the chocolate covered espresso beans with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
- Line a loaf pan or your desired ice cream storage container.
- Once the ice cream has churned, spoon about 1/3 of the ice cream into the container and sprinkle with 1/3 of the chocolate espresso beans. Spoon an additional 1/3 of the ice cream into the container and top with another third of the espresso beans. Repeat with the remaining ice cream and beans.
- Place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- When storing for longer term, cover with plastic wrap or a lid to prevent freezer burn.
Mocha Ice Cream (Mokka Eis)
A match made in heaven, this Mocha Ice Cream is packed with both dark chocolate and coffee and I don't think I could love an ice cream more. The key to making this rich and creamy chocolate ice cream into a mocha ice cream is the espresso powder and chocolate covered espresso beans from Hoosier Hill Farms.
Servings: 12
Calories: 369kcal
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker
- Pot
Ingredients
Custard
- 100 grams dark chocolate finely chopped
- 6 egg yolks
- 300 grams granulated sugar divided
- 20 grams espresso powder about 5 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 35 grams cocoa powder
- 500 milliliters whole milk
- 400 milliliters heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add Ins
- 90 grams chocolate covered espresso beans
Instructions
Prep the Chocolate
- Chop the dark chocolate into 1/4" sized chunks and transfer them into a large heat safe bowl. Place a fine mesh sieve over the top and set aside.
Custard
- Place all 6 egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and half of the sugar into a medium pot. Whisk to combine.
- Pour in the milk and heavy cream and whisk again.
- Place the pot over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning until it is steaming. While it heats up, add the remaining sugar into the bowl with the egg yolks and whisk to combine.
- Set the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar on a damp cloth. This will keep it from spinning when you whisk it.
- Once the milk mixture is steaming and the dry ingredients have fully mixed in, remove it from the heat and set it next to the bowl with the egg yolks.
- While whisking the egg yolks constantly, use a ladle to slowly drizzle the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Don't stop whisking, this is called tempering the eggs and it helps prevent them from curdling.
- Add about 1 cup of the milk mixture into the egg yolks. Then switch to whisking the remaining milk mixture in the pot and slowly pouring in the tempered eggs.
- Return the pot to the stove and cook over low or medium low heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula, alternating between a figure 8 pattern and scraping the sides of the pot.
- Continue cooking and stirring until the surface bubbles have disappeared and the mixture has thickened. Once both have occurred remove the pot from the heat. Pour it through the fine mesh sieve into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
- Remove the sieve and leave the mixture to sit for 1 minute before whisking to combine. Then whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Place a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard and allow it to come to room temperature before storing in the fridge overnight to cool completely.
- Make sure any parts of your ice cream maker that need to be frozen are in your freezer as well.
Churning & Assembling
- The next day, remove the plastic from the mocha custard and set up your ice cream maker.
- Follow the instructions on your ice cream maker to set it up. Pour the chilled custard into the ice cream maker. Churn until it looks like soft serve, it should be thick.
- While the ice cream churns, crush the chocolate covered espresso beans with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
- Line a loaf pan or your desired ice cream storage container.
- Once the ice cream has churned, spoon about 1/3 of the ice cream into the container and sprinkle with 1/3 of the chocolate espresso beans. Spoon an additional 1/3 of the ice cream into the container and top with another third of the espresso beans. Repeat with the remaining ice cream and beans.
- Place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- When storing for longer term, cover with plastic wrap or a lid to prevent freezer burn.
Notes
Be sure to follow the steps in order. It’s important that once you start cooking the custard, everything else is set up and ready to go.
When cooking a custard, the key is low and slow. Don’t get impatient when tempering the eggs (meaning add the hot milk mixture slowly) and don’t cook on a high heat. It can seem like it is taking a while, although this one goes quite quickly, but all of a sudden it will be thick and the little surface bubbles will have disappeared.
Once the surface bubbles are gone, you can take the custard off the heat. If the custard curdles meaning the egg is cooked to intensely and becomes clumpy, it unfortunately cannot be used and you should start again. BUT as long as you follow the instructions this is pretty unlikely.
Unless you have an extra large ice cream machine, I don’t recommend scaling the recipe because it will not be able to churn fully before the frozen portion of the machine begins to defrost.
Nutrition
Serving: 2scoops | Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 2mg
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