Chocolate Sourdough Ice Cream (Printable)
Rich chocolate ice cream with tangy sourdough complexity, creating a uniquely creamy frozen dessert with deep cocoa flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chocolate Base
01 - 5.3 oz dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), chopped
02 - 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
04 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
→ Sourdough Mixture
06 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter (not fed within 6 hours)
→ Eggs
07 - 4 large egg yolks
→ Flavorings & Salt
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
# How To Cook:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and half of the granulated sugar. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.
02 - Add the chopped dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder to the saucepan. Whisk constantly until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat.
03 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining granulated sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow and becomes slightly thickened.
04 - Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot chocolate mixture into the yolk bowl while whisking vigorously to gradually raise the temperature without scrambling the eggs. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
05 - Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a spatula or whisk, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches approximately 175°F.
06 - Immediately remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and fine sea salt until evenly distributed.
07 - Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, then whisk in the active sourdough starter until fully incorporated and no streaks remain.
08 - Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until the mixture is thoroughly chilled.
09 - Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20 to 25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
10 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, smooth the top, and freeze for at least 2 hours until firm enough to scoop.
11 - Scoop into bowls or cones and serve. Optionally garnish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The tang from sourdough cuts through chocolate richness in a way that makes each bite surprising and deeply satisfying.
- It sounds fancy but the process is mostly waiting and stirring, which means anyone can pull it off.
02 -
- Skipping the chill step once gave me ice cream with ice shards throughout and the texture never recovered.
- Using starter that was just fed made the tang almost invisible, so let it sit unfed for at least six hours for real flavor.
03 -
- The custard can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge, which actually improves both flavor and texture.
- A tablespoon of bourbon stirred in before churning keeps the frozen ice cream softer and easier to scoop straight from the freezer.