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Food-Processor Coffee–Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Food-Processor Coffee–Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

By Elizabeth MindreauJuly 22, 2024

  • Makes
    Makes about 1 quart
  • Cook Time
    6½ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    15 minutes active, plus chilling

Instant espresso powder is an easy way to bring intense coffee flavor to sweets, including this no-cook, stir-together frozen treat. We like this ice cream studded with chopped chocolate, but you can keep it plain and simple, if you prefer. Whether using chocolate in bar or chip form, be sure to chop it finely, as the bits get quite hard when frozen. When adding the chocolate to the base after processing, work quickly and give the mixture just a few folds to distribute the chocolate.

Tip

Don’t forget to chill the evaporated milk. If room-temperature or barely chilled, it will not whip properly. Also, don’t whip the evaporated milk until it holds stiff peaks. If overbeaten, it will cause the ice cream base to deflate during the initial freezing. Lastly, be sure the base is fully frozen before processing. If it is only partially frozen, it may separate as it freezes.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons instant espresso powder

  • 1

    tablespoon boiling water

  • Kosher salt

  • 1

    14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

  • ½

    cup heavy cream

  • 1

    12-ounce can evaporated milk, well chilled

  • 4

    ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or ¾ cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, finely chopped

Step 1

Place a large bowlin the refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large bowl, stir together the espresso, boiling water and ⅛ teaspoon salt until fully dissolved. Add the condensed milk and heavy cream, then whisk until homogeneous.

Step 2

Pour the cold evaporated milk into the chilled bowl. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, whip the milk until it resembles softly whipped cream, has doubled in volume and forms mounds when the beaters or whisk are lifted; do not whip to stiff peaks. Whisk about one-third of the whipped milk into the condensed-milk mixture to lighten it. Now, using the whisk, fold in the remaining whipped milk until the mixture is well combined; it will resemble frothy yogurt.

Step 3

Transfer to a 1½-quart container and cover tightly. Freeze until the center is fully frozen, at least 6 hours; the timing will vary based on the shape of the container and the temperature of the freezer. To check if the center is frozen, dig into it with a spoon; it should be solid, without any liquid.

Step 4

Remove the base from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Using a sturdy spoon or ice cream scoop, transfer to a food processor; return the now-empty container to the freezer to keep it cold. Process until the mixture resembles a milk shake, 1 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

Step 5

Return the base to the chilled container. Sprinkle with the chopped chocolate and quickly fold a few times to combine. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface, then freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. The ice cream will keep for a couple weeks.