Paula Deen Mary Randolph’s Chocolate Ice Cream

Paula Deen Mary Randolph's Chocolate Ice Cream is a rich custard dessert made with unsweetened chocolate, heavy cream and vanilla bean, ready in 12 hours 5 minutes. It's an easy homemade ice cream for Sunday dinner, holidays or church suppers, and it's a make-ahead Southern dessert.

Chill the custard for at least 4 hours before you churn it, because a fully cold base freezes smooth and creamy. Churn it warm and you end up with a thin, icy texture instead.

Paula bases this on a historic recipe from Mary Randolph, so the chocolate is grated fresh and poured in slowly through a wax paper funnel. Packing the finished ice cream into a mold gives you that old-fashioned ring shape, which looks stunning on a cake stand.

Paula Deen Mary Randolph's Chocolate Ice Cream

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

Grated chocolate melts into a vanilla-scented egg custard that turns dense and silky once it is churned. After freezing, you can scoop it or pack it into a mold and turn it out whole.

Ingredients

• ¼ pound (four 1-ounce squares) unsweetened chocolate
  

• 2 cups whole milk
  

• 2 cups heavy cream (minimum 36% milk fat)
  

• 1 whole vanilla bean (see notes on other flavors below)
  

• 1 cup sugar
  

• salt
  

• 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  

Directions

• Grate the chocolate: Finely grate the unsweetened chocolate onto a sheet of wax paper. Then set up the bottom of a double boiler with simmering water.
• Heat the milk and cream: In the top pot over direct heat, bring the milk, cream and vanilla bean almost to a boil, stirring constantly. Then stir in the sugar and a tiny pinch of salt until they dissolve, and set the pot over the simmering water.
• Melt in the chocolate: Fold two edges of the wax paper together to make a funnel, then pour the chocolate slowly into the hot milk while stirring constantly. Keep stirring until it has completely melted.
• Temper the egg yolks: Beat 1 cup of the hot liquid into the lightly beaten egg yolks, then stir the mixture back into the remaining hot liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until it lightly thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
• Cool and chill: Remove the custard from the heat and stir until slightly cooled, about 5 minutes, then take out the vanilla bean. Let it cool completely, cover it, and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Churn the ice cream: Prepare your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's directions. Freeze the cream until it is almost set, a little stiffer than soft-serve.
• Mold or scoop: To serve it the way Mrs. Randolph would have, pack the ice cream into a mold, or use any freezer-proof container. Freeze until set, then scoop it like any other ice cream.
• Unmold and serve: If molded, dip the mold in a basin of hot water or wrap it with a towel heated in a clothes dryer. Invert it over a serving plate and lift off the mold, dipping again or re-warming the towel for a minute if it sticks.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, OXO 4-sided box grater, Madagascar vanilla beans, grade A, 10 pods. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make this chocolate ice cream without a vanilla bean?

Pure vanilla extract works as a stand-in if you can't find a whole bean. Stir about 2 teaspoons into the custard after it comes off the heat, since heat dulls the flavor of extract.

How long does homemade chocolate ice cream keep in the freezer?

Homemade ice cream tastes best within a week or two, since it has no stabilizers and slowly turns icy. Press plastic wrap on the surface and keep the container tightly covered.

Can I make the custard a day ahead?

Yes, and the recipe actually calls for it, since the custard chills for at least 4 hours or overnight. Cover it well and churn it right before you want to serve.

What if I don't have an ice cream maker?

The recipe calls for an ice cream freezer, so a machine gives the smoothest result. Without one, you can pour the chilled custard into a shallow pan and stir it every 30 minutes as it freezes to break up the ice crystals.

Why won't my ice cream come out of the mold?

The ice cream is stuck because the outside of the mold is too cold. Dip it in hot water again, or re-warm the towel and wrap it for another minute, then lift it off.