A rich, custard-based espresso ice cream studded with dark chocolate chunks, made with real brewed espresso instead of espresso powder for bold, true coffee flavor in every scoop.

This espresso ice cream with chocolate chips is what happens when a classic French custard base meets real brewed espresso. It's an ice cream dream for all the coffee lovers.

The coffee flavor comes purely from real espresso, no shortcuts here with instant espresso powder or coffee liqueur. On its own, this custard is rich and delicious enough to stand alone as a straight espresso ice cream. If you're looking for a homemade coffee ice cream recipe with bold, real coffee flavor in every scoop, this is it.

But if you've been here before, you also know I can't resist throwing chocolate into everything, espresso muffins, pumpkin muffins, banana bread, and this ice cream is no exception. The chunks of bittersweet chocolate firm up just enough in the freezer to give every bite a little crunch.

The homemade ice cream base here is a true creme anglaise, the same vanilla custard technique used in French pastry, just built around espresso instead. Getting the custard right, cooking slowly and straining until silky, is what gives this ice cream its dense, scoopable texture instead of the slightly grainy result you might get from an eggless ice cream base.

Ingredients for Espresso Ice Cream

• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is what gives this ice cream its richness. Be sure to use heavy cream and not light cream, half and half, or whipping cream.
• Milk: Again, use full fat whole milk for the richest ice cream base. Avoid skim milk and reduced fat milk.
• Brewed Espresso: I used decaf espresso, brewed at home in my espresso machine, so this ice cream is caffeine friendly enough for an after dinner scoop. Regular espresso works exactly the same way if you want the caffeine kick. If you don't have a machine to brew your own espresso at home, you can also pick up shots from your favorite coffee shop the day you plan to make the ice cream.
• Egg Yolks: Eggs add a silky texture and richness to the ice cream base.
• Sugar: Use granulated white sugar.
• Vanilla: Be sure to use pure vanilla extract, not imitation flavor.
• Salt: Anything sweet always needs a pinch of salt to keep the flavors balanced.
• Bittersweet Chocolate Bar: (optional) Use a high quality chocolate bar and chop it into skinny pieces, or use a grater to make chocolate shavings. The small cut pieces stay softer in the ice cream than chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers to prevent melting. If you prefer chocolate chips instead, I strongly suggest you use mini chips as I have done in my classic chocolate chip ice cream. Regular sized chips will be too hard to bite into frozen.

How to Make Espresso Ice Cream

Before starting, you should know that for the best results you should make this two days before serving. The custard will need to be chilled overnight before churning and unless you want soft serve, it's best to let the churned ice cream completely freeze overnight before scooping. 

To begin, combine the milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream, brewed espresso and salt in a large pot. Heat over medium-low heat until steaming and just beginning to simmer. Do not let it boil. Once it reaches that point, reduce the heat as low as it will go.

While that's heating, set up an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water, then nest a second bowl inside it. Pour the remaining ½ cup of heavy cream into the inner bowl and set it aside. Have a fine mesh sieve for straining the custard nearby.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. Add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture very gradually, a little at a time, whisking constantly.

This step is where custards go wrong if you rush it, adding the hot milk too quickly will scramble the eggs instead of tempering them, so take your time here. It helps to keep a wet towel under the bowl to keep it in place while whisking and pouring in the hot milk. 

Pour the tempered mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Keep it at a low simmer as it thickens, about 4 to 6 minutes.

It's ready when it coats the back of the spoon and holds a clear line when you run your finger through it. Remove from the heat right away. If you are unsure, you can also use an instant read thermometer. It should read at 175℉.

Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into the bowl with the reserved cream sitting in the ice bath. Stir to combine and let it cool completely.

Once cooled to room temperature, press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate overnight to completely chill.

Churn the chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. To give you an idea of timing, I used this Cuisinart ice cream machine and churned for about 20 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes of churning, add the chopped chocolate and let it mix throughout.

Once done, transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe airtight container. Freeze for at least 24 hours before serving for the best consistency. If you want to serve it immediately, you can but it will be more like a soft serve than hard ice cream. 

How to Store and Serve

Transfer the finished ice cream to a freezer safe airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to one month. Placing wax paper or plastic wrap over the top of the ice cream can help prevent freezer burn. 

To make scooping easier, let the ice cream sit for 3-5 minutes after removing from the freezer. Top your ice cream with chocolate sauce or salted caramel sauce.

You can also add some extra coffee flavor by sprinkling with crushed chocolate covered coffee beans. Or if you really want a coffee boost, you can use this as your ice cream base in an affogato.

Tips for Recipe Success

• Chill the custard base fully before churning. It must be very cold to prevent ice crystals from forming. The best guarantee is to let it chill overnight. In fact, chilling it longer will improve the coffee flavor of the custard.
• Don't rush the tempering step. Pour a very small amount of hot milk mixture into the eggs, stir and then pour in another small amount and stir. Repeat this to slowly temper the eggs.
• Freeze your ice cream maker bowl ahead of time if using an insert-style machine. I freeze mine for at least 24 hours before using. 
• Use bar chocolate, not chips, for the best texture. Chop the bar as thinly and evenly as possible. For tips on chopping, see my post How to Chop Chocolate.

FAQ

Can I make this without an ice cream maker?
This recipe is built on a real egg custard base, which needs to be churned to get a smooth, scoopable texture. No churn recipes use completely different ingredients.

Can I use espresso powder or strong coffee instead of brewed espresso?
Brewed espresso is what gives this ice cream its bold, true coffee flavor. Espresso powder or strong drip coffee can work in a pinch, but the flavor will be noticeably milder and less authentic. If you do use coffee, brew it as strong as possible.

Why is my ice cream icy or grainy instead of creamy?
This usually comes down to one of two things: the custard wasn't fully chilled before churning, or it was overcooked and curdled slightly during the tempering step.

If you have an instant read thermometer, you can use it to check that it's cooked to 175℉. Make sure your base is very cold, ideally chilled overnight, before you churn, and add the hot milk to the eggs gradually to avoid scrambling them.

Can I use chocolate chips instead of a chocolate bar?
Yes, but use mini chocolate chips. Regular sized chips contain stabilizers that keep them from melting, which makes them too hard to bite into once frozen.

Can I make the espresso flavor stronger?
Yes. Add an extra shot of espresso to the milk mixture, or use decaf if you want a stronger flavor without more caffeine. This recipe uses ½ cup or 125 mL which is about 4 shots of espresso.