Today was so beautifully warm and sunny, I simply had to make this Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream.
Made with frozen blackberries from last year, this ice cream delivers massively on taste.
To quote Jennifer Aniston “Here’s the science bit”, when eating very cold food, such as ice cream, the flavours are dulled, due to the cold temperature. If you think of strawberries eaten straight from the fridge, they will never taste as good as those that have been left out to warm up a bit, or better, plucked straight from a sun warmed plant.
Likewise, when making ice cream, even a simple Very Vanilla Ice Cream, the flavours need to be more pronounced so that you taste them.
With this creamy, sharp, sweet and tangy Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream, you taste every bit of the beautiful blackberries. Sousing them in sugar and lemon juice encourages each berry to release it’s maximum, ripe berry flavour. On it’s own the blitzed, blackberry sauce would be too tart and the berry flavour would be overwhelming, yet mixed into a delicate vanilla ice cream custard and churned until it becomes ice cream, the flavours mellow and meld together, creating one of the most exciting flavoured ice creams ever.
Studded with chunks of deep, dark, chocolate that lend not only a slight bitter flavour but added texture this Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream becomes complete. Elegant enough to be served in pretty bowls at the end of a meal with nothing else to accompany it.
One thing is certain, this ice cream is certainly one of the best ice creams I have ever tried!
Recipe: Makes approx 1 litre Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
300ml Double Cream
300ml Whole/Semi Skimmed Milk
4 Large Egg Yolks – I always use free range eggs
1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen Massey
7tbsp Caster Sugar
Scant pinch of salt – less than 1/4tsp
1tsp Cornflour – I use Doves Farm as it is guaranteed gluten free
Juice of 1 Lemon
300g Blackberries – I used frozen but use fresh in season
100g/4oz Good Quality Dark Chocolate minimum 65% Cocoa solids
Method: Ensure that the freezing part of the ice cream maker has been in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
Please see Very Vanilla Ice Cream for step by step photographs, showing how to make the ice cream custard.
Making The Blackberry Ice Cream Base
- Place the cream, milk and vanilla extract into a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the egg yolks, sugar, salt and cornflour to a large heatproof bowl. Whisk until pale and creamy.
- The milk/cream needs to reach scalding point. This is when little bubbles appear around the edge of the liquid.
- When the milk/cream has reached scalding point remove the pan from the heat.
- Whilst whisking the egg mixture, pour the hot milk/cream into the bowl – do not stop whisking.
- Once combined tip the custard mixture back into the same saucepan, cooking over a low heat and constantly stirring, until the custard has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Place a sieve over a clean, heatproof bowl and pour the custard into the bowl, through the sieve.
- Place cling film directly over the top of the custard so that is touches it. This will prevent a skin from forming.
- Allow to cool and then place into the fridge to chill.
- Place the blackberries into a bowl and add the juice of one lemon and one tablespoon of caster sugar. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Place the blackberry mixture into a blender and pulse until you have a smooth purée.
- Pass the blackberry purée through a sieve to remove any seeds.
- As soon as the ice cream base has chilled remove the cling film and add the blackberry purée.
- Mix briefly, don’t worry too much as it will be well mixed in the ice cream maker.
- Transfer the custard mixture to a jug.
Churning Using An Ice Cream Maker
- Pour the blackberry custard into the ice cream maker (for mine it has to already be churning – check your instructions).
- Whilst the ice cream is churning chop the dark chocolate into 1cm-ish sized chunks.
- Churn the Blackberry Ice Cream until it is a thickened, yet soft ice cream.
- Using a soft rubber spatula decant the softly whipped ice cream into a suitable, freezer safe, plastic tub.
Adding The Dark Chocolate Chunks
- Add the dark chocolate chunks to the blackberry ice cream once it is in the freezer container.
- Stir the dark chocolate chunks through the ice cream so that they are evenly distributed.
- Clip on the lid, label and place the Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream into the freezer to finish freezing.
- To serve, remove this ice cream from the freezer a full 30 minutes before serving – unless it really is an extremely hot day, then 20 minutes should suffice.
I honestly cannot explain just how good this Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream is. Whilst it may look a little more like a sorbet it is in fact delightfully creamy, with a deep berry flavour to match its beautiful colour and studded with dark chocolate crunch that adds another heavenly level of flavour and texture. It cleanses the palette and refreshes, whilst ensuring that you know you have eaten dessert.
In essence it is truly sublime. A million miles away from mass produced, sweet gloopy ice cream, this is the dessert to serve those you truly want to spoil. Not that it is expensive to make, simply that it is an ice cream worth lingering over and savouring.
If you have enjoyed this Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream recipe, here are a few others you may enjoy:
Having an ice cream maker definitely makes the process of creating ice cream easier. It results in a much creamier, less icy, softer on the palate, cooling treat.
Unfortunaley whilst making the Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream another little piece of the plastic on our ice cream maker broke off – it really is on its last legs. Fortunately however, I will be reviewing a brand new model by Andrew James over the coming few months, so expect lots of chilled recipes through the summer months.
It really gives me such a thrill reading your comments and I appreciate you taking the time to leave them. Likewise seeing my recipes being baked on Twitter and Instagram literally makes my day. Sharing is the heart of this blog and seeing you share your bakes with me always gives me a boost. Thank you.
Whatever you are making and baking in your kitchens, have fun and enjoy every feast that you create.
Sammie xx
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