Chocolate Sourdough Ice Cream (Printable version)

Rich chocolate ice cream with tangy sourdough undertones, creating a unique creamy dessert perfect for adventurous palates.

# What you need:

→ Ice Cream Base

01 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
02 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 4 large egg yolks
05 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Chocolate Mixture

06 - 4 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
07 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

→ Sourdough Addition

08 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter (unfed/discard, room temperature)

# How To:

01 - In a medium saucepan, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, and half of the granulated sugar. Warm gently over medium heat until the mixture begins to steam, avoiding a full boil.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and salt until the mixture turns pale and reaches a creamy consistency.
03 - Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Transfer the combined custard back into the saucepan.
04 - Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170°F on an instant-read thermometer.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
06 - Pass the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
07 - Once the base has cooled, whisk in the sourdough starter until it is fully incorporated and the mixture is homogeneous.
08 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to ensure it is thoroughly chilled.
09 - Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a thick, creamy consistency.
10 - Transfer the churned ice cream into a lidded container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to allow it to firm up properly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough adds a subtle tang that makes the chocolate taste deeper and more complex than any store bought version.
  • It uses up discard starter, so you can feel smug about wasting nothing while eating dessert.
  • The custard base is rich and silky, the kind that makes people close their eyes on the first bite.
02 -
  • If your custard gets too hot and starts to scramble, immediately pour it through a sieve and blend the strained liquid with an immersion blender to rescue it.
  • The sourdough starter must be at room temperature before you add it, otherwise the cold base will cause lumps that are impossible to whisk out.
03 -
  • Chill your storage container in the freezer while the ice cream churns so the transfer does not cause any melting.
  • If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the base into a shallow dish and stir every thirty minutes for three hours until frozen.

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