My Black Coffee Ice Cream recipe is the real deal ~ no namby pamby coffee flavor for me! This homemade coffee ice cream recipe is the ultimate coffee lovers’ treat.
I don’t know about you guys, but the flavor of coffee ice cream always disappoints me. It’s never bold enough. To me it always tastes like that cup of coffee I accidentally poured waaaay too much cream into. Yuck. So I set out to make myself some of the real deal. I call it Black Coffee. It’s about as deep and rich as you can get it without leaving out the cream altogether, in which case you wouldn’t have ice cream 🙂
This is a simple ice cream recipe, no eggs or custard to worry about. I don’t find the extra steps add all that much, especially if you eat your ice cream the same day it’s made. I use a base of half and half, which cuts down on the calories a little. Every bit helps!
the secret to super coffee flavor
How did I do it? How did I cram so much caffeinated flavor into this ice cream? There are two secrets…
- one is powdered (instant) espresso. I used a hefty 6 tablespoons of it.
- The second secret might be a little more controversial. I used 2 tablespoons of extra dark unsweetened cocoa powder. It add color, richness, and blends with the coffee to emphasize the flavor. Yes, technically I should have mentioned that in the title, but really I don’t think the ice cream ‘reads’ as chocolate, it just brings out the essence of the coffee. It’s similar to the way many chocolate recipes include a bit of coffee or espresso to bring out the chocolate flavor, only this time, it’s all about the coffee!
The ice cream machine I recommend
I get asked all the time about what machine I use. I use and recommend Cuisinart. I’ve had my machine for years without any issues, I think because there are no fussy electronic parts to break down ~ it’s a simple motor that turns the freezer bowl for churning the ice cream and it works quickly and perfectly every time.
Reader Dina says ~
“This is sooooo delicious! Probably the best I’ve ever made. Such amazing flavors. Instead of half & half I used Heavy Cream. My husband and I couldn’t stop licking the bowl, spatula & churn even before it went into the freezer to finish. If I eat this late at night I may need some Irish whiskey with it to help me sleep!!”
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Black Coffee Ice Cream
Equipment
- ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 2 cups half and half, or use 1 cup half and half and 1 cup cream.
- 6 Tbsp espresso powder , or instant espresso
- 2 Tbsp dutch process cocoa powder, Hershey's Extra Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put one cup of the half and half in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the espresso, cocoa powder, and sugar. Heat and stir just until everything gets dissolved.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Add remaining half and half and vanilla and refrigerate until cold.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and process according to its instructions.
- Spoon the soft ice cream into a container and freeze until scoop-able: at least several hours.
- Homemade ice cream is best eaten the day it is made.
Nutrition
More coffee flavored recipes
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Espresso Chocolate Chip Scones
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Espresso Ganache Tart
Deep chocolate meets dark roast espresso in this silky ganache tart ~ dense, glossy, and unapologetically rich.
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