I was intrigued when I saw this recipe in a copy of Cook's Country which came in the mail unsolicited. An ice cream made without a machine? So, Emily and I made it over Easter weekend and it really was easy, but give it plenty of time to freeze before serving, at least 6 hours. The trick is the sweetened condensed milk. It's not really ice cream, but more like a mousse, and very good.
Easy Chocolate Ice Cream
or Frozen Mocha Mousse
adapted from Cook's Country
Makes 1 Quart (1 large Glad-type 4 cup storage container)
1 t. instant coffee or espresso powder
1 T. hot water
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
For the mocha base:
Combine espresso powder and hot water in an extra- large measuring cup or microwave safe bowl. Let stand until the coffee dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Add chocolate, sweetened condensed milk,
and microwave for 10 seconds and stir until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool.
For the cream:
With a whisk attachment on the electric mixer, whip the cold cream on medium-high speed until it makes soft peaks, about 2 - 3 minutes.
This gave me time to mess around with my camera on micro to see if I could take a closeup of the tulips I picked from the yard.
I should have been paying more attention. By the time, I checked my cream it was a little past soft peaks. No worries. It would still work for the mousse.
For the mousse:
Add one third of the cream into the mocha base,
and fold until combined.
Then pour it all into the remaining whipped cream,
and fold carefully and gently until completely uniform in mocha color.
Pour into a 1 quart freezer container, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 2 weeks.
If you plan to store the ice cream for more than a few days, place plastic wrap directly on its surface before freezing.
Serve!
B
