Coffee Ice Cream
I know, another ice cream recipe, so soon after the Strawberry Ice Cream? Yes, but it’s summer and there will be plenty of time for cakes, pies and cookies come fall and winter. In summer, all I want is cold and creamy ice cream. Coffee ice cream is one of my favorite flavors and echos how I drink the hot stuff, light and sweet. I tend to like my ice cream plain (it’s a textural thing), but if you like mix-ins, chopped dark chocolate, toffee pieces, fleur de sel praline, or chocolate-covered coffee beans would be a natural fit.
Homemade Coffee Ice Cream Recipe
Coffee Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk or 1/3 cup half and half, 2/3 cup lowfat milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 each egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp instant espresso* I use Medaglia d'Oro
- 1 tsp ground fresh coffee for color and visual texture
Instructions
- Whisk together the egg yolks and half of the sugar in a medium sized bowl.
- Combine the other half of the sugar with the milk and cream in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and heat until just below a simmer. Whisk in the instant coffee until it is dissolved.
- Take about a cup of the hot cream/milk mixture and whisk it into the bowl with the eggs to temper them. Whisk the egg/milk mixture back into the pot with the cream and cook over a low heat until thickened. You are making custard. Do not let it boil or you will have scrambled eggs in your cream!
- When thick (about 5 minutes), remove from the heat pour though a fine mesh strainer into a bowl set over ice water. This stops the cooking process and helps the custard cool quickly. Whisk in the vanilla once cool. Chill in the refrigerator until very cold.
- Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions and at the end mix in 1 tsp of finely ground coffee.
*If you’re wondering why I used instant espresso (Medaglia d’Oro) instead of fresh coffee it’s because I like the way it dissolves completely. I didn’t want to add in brewed coffee because I thought the liquid would change the texture of the ice cream. I’ve seen recipes that infuse the cream with coffee beans but have not tried it. Also, a tiny jar of this goes a long way and is great when you want to put a coffee flavor in chocolate baked goods, like this salted caramel chocolate cake.
I use this Cuisinart 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker Ice Cream Machine (Amazon affiliate link). It works very well and I even keep the empty bowl in my freezer so I can make ice cream at a moment’s notice.
15 Comments
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Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
I agree, I love ice cream in the summer (and the winter, fall and spring too) and I am not a fan of chunks in my ice cream either – but I do think some added cinnamon to coffee ice cream is divine! 🙂
formerchef
Jenn-I don’t know why I prefer ice cream with nothing in it, but that the same reason I never put toppings on my fro-yo either. I think it’s because when you have to chew something in with your ice cream the flavor of what that is overwhelms the ice cream.
As for the cinnamon in coffee ice cream, I just can’t. I hate it when places put cinnamon on top of a cappuccino for example; I’ll send it back. But I know people love it… 🙂
Sweet Pea Chef
This sounds amazing. No such thing as too much ice cream as far as I’m concerned. Thanks for posting! I hope to make this soon.
Michelle
This looks wonderful. Creamy and refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day.
Jennifer S
Mmmmm…. coffee ice cream. Divine. The Leftover Queen’s idea of a little cinnamon sounds like an interesting addition, too. Thanks for sharing this one. Might be just the thing after my upcoming peach bonanza.
Charles G Thompson
I’m with you! It’s definitely ice cream season – I’ve made it 2x recently (mango sorbet over the weekend). Coffee is also a favorite ice cream flavor of mine too. Your recipe sounds really good.
Brilynn
You can never have too many ice cream posts, this looks awesome! I’m actually more of a fan of coffee flavoured baked goods, ice cream, etc, than I am of coffee, so this is perfect for me.
Pam @ Kitchen Cookware Guide
Coffee and ice cream, two of my favorite things combined! wow, I am now heaven, only if I can put chocolate in this too, that will be great! Thanks for sharing, I love it.
Angela@spinachtiger
This looks great, and I agree, I don’t like anything in my ice cream. I like the creamy smooth texture. I always wonder too about instant espresso. I would like to use real espresso and take my chances.
formerchef
Angela- I really don’t mind the instant espresso for this purpose, though not to drink! If you try it with regular espresso, let me know how it comes out.
Weight Loss Help
Ice Cream is the best when homemade and anytime of year is just fine. But with all this heat for sure we have been having ice cream on a daily basis. Thanks for another recipe to try in my machine.
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Betty @ scrambled hen fruit
Coffee ice cream is my favorite right now. I sometimes like add-ins, but not if they get hard and crunchy when frozen. I don’t like anything getting in the way of the cold creamy goodness! You can’t have too many ice cream recipes- it’s summer!
Marie Silva
mmmmm I thought coffee icecream was local to New England… I was traveling out west and only the country wide name brands had coffee icecream. Hood is really yummmy!