The Dark Chocolate Mix You Need For Gourmet Ice Cream

Not everyone agrees that homemade is better when it comes to ice cream. A lively Reddit thread debating the pros and cons of homemade versus commercial ice cream includes the claim that commercial ice cream makers are able to freeze the mix faster, resulting in a creamier product. Others counter that, with the right ingredients, it is absolutely possible to make homemade ice cream that triumphs over store-bought. And it makes sense that the choice of ingredients can make or break your final product.

Take homemade dark chocolate ice cream. Chowhound asked Executive Pastry Chef Yoonjung Oh of Hive Hospitality about the best chocolate to use when making it at home, and she recommends a blend of high-quality dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder for a complex and interesting flavor. But of course, there are many options when it comes to store-bought dark chocolate, and some are better than others. Oh told Chowhound that selecting a 65% to 75% dark chocolate is a good start; and that you can increase the richness of your ice cream mix by adding "a splash of espresso" and a tiny bit of salt. Consider Ghirardelli's Intense Dark Chocolate (our favorite chocolate bar that's intense in all the best ways possible) for a balanced bittersweet flavor with hints of fruitiness.

As for how to incorporate the chocolate mix into the ice cream, Oh starts by adding melted dark chocolate and cocoa powder to the base. However, for a bit more oomph, she says, "you can also add chopped chocolate or chips for texture, melted chocolate drizzled into the churning ice cream to give like stracciatella-style, or chocolate ganache swirls for a rich, layered experience."

Another issue that can set homemade ice cream back is a lack of interesting mix-ins. You have to plan ahead! Let's travel back to the grocery store for a second. Ben & Jerry's is a brand known for its many fascinating flavors featuring oodles of mix-ins. By adding swirls of fudge and marshmallow creme along with chunks of cookie dough or chocolate cookies to a creamy base, for example, they create a texturally and flavorfully complex product that keeps fans going back for more. And there's nothing wrong with taking inspiration from the classics when making your own ice cream at home.

In addition to adding texture through chocolate, Yoonjung Oh suggests considering other flavors for your dark chocolate ice cream to really drive home the gourmet experience. "I always recommend salt," she says. "Orange zest, olive oil, caramel, and toasted nuts will always be good, too!"

Think about what flavors complement dark chocolate, and what textures you'd like to bring to your ice cream. Toasted hazelnuts for a Nutella-inspired experience could be a tasty, simple start. Or, take inspiration from recent trends like the Dubai chocolate bar. Dark chocolate, toasted pistachios, swirls of pistachio paste and tahini, and some flaky kataifi (shredded phyllo dough) — either mixed into the ice cream or toasted and sprinkled on top to keep it crisp — sounds downright decadent. Of course, if you want to keep your dark chocolate ice cream purely chocolate, you can always add the flavor through toppings. A homemade raspberry sauce could bring a pleasing contrasting flavor (and color). And you can't go wrong with a salted caramel sauce, either.