I scream! You scream! We all scream for ice cream! Is it weird that I also scream for coffee?
According to Eater LA, coffee is the new cupcake. At the rate that coffee shops are opening all over the city, I’m sure many more people will scream for coffee with me. I’m counting down the days until Stumptown Coffee opens a store in Los Angeles. Until then, I will satisfy my coffee cravings with this frozen delight I have concocted.
I would normally go to the market and buy a pint of Haagen-Daz coffee ice cream, but that would be way too easy. Its a brand new year and I want a challenge.
Ever since my Portland trip, I have become a coffee enthusiast. I have been scoping out local coffee roasters. I recently was introduced to Newhall Coffee Micro Roasters.
Newhall roasts coffee beans in small batches in Southern California, just half an hour north of Los Angeles. They make very rich, dark, strong coffee. Just the way I like it. I used their coffee beans to flavor my ice cream.
This coffee ice cream recipe has a delicious custard base. The inclusion of more eggs makes ice cream more stable in the freezer. It also does not get as icy and hard as regular ice cream because of the eggs.
By making a custard base, you are able to produce a smoother, creamier, and denser ice cream without those expensive ice cream batch freezers.
To create the base, I used my favorite creme brulee recipe and infused it with coffee beans. Its really simple to add flavors to milk and cream bases.
You can infuse all sorts of herbs, spices, and teas into your ice cream base through steeping. Its a new year, go nuts! Make some strawberry basil ice cream. Or how about chai rooibos ice cream? The possibilities are endless.
Coffee Ice Cream
Homemade coffee ice cream. Use your favorite roast and brand of coffee beans to infuse flavor into this versatile ice cream base! Yield: about 1 quart
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup whole coffee beans
- 6 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring cream, milk and 2 Tbsp sugar to a boil. Microwave coffee beans for 30 seconds. Once milk boils, take it off the heat. Add the warmed coffee beans and stir. Cover pot and let steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Strain milk coffee mixture and discard coffee beans. Place pot of milk over medium heat and bring to a boil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Add ¼ cup sugar one tablespoon at a time. Once milk begins to boil, lower heat.
- Temper hot milk into sugar yolk mixture. Slowly add hot milk into yolk about ¼ cup at a time, whisking to distribute heat. Continue to add milk into the yolk. Once all milk has been added, transfer everything back into the pot.
- Stir over medium-low heat until mixture reaches nappe consistency, or 180°F on a thermometer. Let it sit at 180-185° F for 5 minutes to pasteurize mixture. Add espresso powder and vanilla. Stir until dissolved.
- Pour mixture into a plastic wrap lined sheet tray. Spread over the sheet tray and cover with plastic warp. Let cool in freezer for 5-10 minutes until mixture has cooled to room temperature.
- Transfer to airtight container and let mature in fridge overnight.
- Freeze mixture in ice cream maker according to your unit’s instruction. Once the volume has increased by ½ to ¾ times, and reached a soft serve consistency, transfer mixture into an airtight container and let rest in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Did you make this recipe?Show us on Instagram! Tag @littleepicurean and hashtag #littleepicurean.
This does look like a wonderful frosty treat, great flavor choice-yum! Thanks for the info regarding custard based ice creams-good to know. Great post.
That ice cream looks beyond amazing. I’m a huge coffee fan, too, so this is right up my alley. Yum!
Yum! I love coffee ice cream; I always look for it whenever I get ice cream!! I would love to make this at home…but my family doesn’t like coffee ice cream, I’m the lone ranger :/ I’d have to eat the whole thing myself! (maybe there is no problem there..?)
Stunning pictures…. Coffee ice cream has been one of my favorite flavors since I was a kid, even when I hated coffee, it was still my fave ice cream flavor. Now I love coffee… and I still love ice cream :)
Found you on foodgawker…I can’t wait to try this recipe, thanks so much :)
xoxo
mysfkitchen
Your ice cream looks amazing! I really want an ice cream machine…if I do get one, I’m definitely making this!
Thanks for all the comments!
@mybeautifuldisasters- I don’t think its a problem at all. More coffee ice cream for you!
@Kristi- Glad you found me! I hope you like the recipe.
@Chris Chang- I can’t wait for you to get an ice cream machine. Nothing beats homemade ice cream and the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself!
ahhh, when do you add the espresso powder??????
Sorry! I’ve updated the recipe. You add the espresso powder with the vanilla paste.
This is great especially to people like me who are prone to sleep deprivation. I can’t wait to try this at home.
You mentioned the brand of coffee but what kind do you use from them?