Chocolate Ice Cream with Toasted Hazelnuts

I got this fabulous ice cream recipe from here and it is from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream at Home.  The recipe puzzled me at first because it did not contain eggs but it is by far the creamiest ice cream ever.  Instead of using eggs, this recipe calls for corn starch to bind the mixture together and create the creamy texture.  I put my own twist on the recipe and used arrowroot instead of corn starch because it is a natural thickener.  I always hesitate using artificial stuff in my food which in this case is corn starch.  I also used 1% milk instead of whole milk to lighten it up.  The ice cream texture is already very creamy so you can't really tell that I lessened the fat.

Recipe
Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream at Home
Makes 1 quart

Ingredients
1 c 1% milk
4 tsp arrowroot
1 c heavy cream
1 c evaporated milk (unsweetened condensed milk)
2/3 c white sugar
2 tbs light corn syrup (look for the label that says, "no high fructose corn syrup")
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Directions
Sift cocoa powder to take out the little lumps.

Whisk together a few tablespoons of milk with arrowroot.  Set aside (you will add this in later). 

In a medium saucepan, add rest of milk, heavy cream, evaporated milk, sugar, and corn syrup.  When the mixture comes to a moderate boil, whisk in cocoa powder, then let it come to a moderate boil for 4 minutes.

After 4 minutes, whisk in the arrowroot milk mixture and continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a spatula, until slightly thickened. 

Remove from the heat and add chopped chocolate and salt, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the vanilla extract.

Place the hot saucepan in an ice bath.  See picture below.  Let the mixture cool for 30 minutes and add more ice if needed.

In the meantime, toast the hazelnuts on a saucepan over medium heat.  This should take a few minutes and the hazelnuts should toast quickly.  Cool the nuts completely. 

Pour the mixture into the ice cream canister and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.  When the mixture is about 90% frozen, add the cooled nuts to the mixture. 

Ice cream is very easy to make so do not be intimidated.  This recipe is especially easy because you do not have to make a custard with the eggs. 

I used cocoa powder and 60% bittersweet chocolate.

The consistency of the mixture reminded me exactly of pudding!  I could have eaten this just chilled.

 

To cool down the mixture, I put the metal saucepan in a bigger plastic container filled with ice and water.  Do not put a hot mixture in your ice cream maker.  You need the canister to be cold as possible to make the ice cream.  I usually put the canister in the freezer the night before I am planning to use it so it has enough time to completely freeze.

When the ice cream is just about done churning, add the toasted hazelnuts.

I already want to try the vanilla bean ice cream recipe next!