The Real Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream

Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream is my absolute favorite ice cream flavor.  Well it is right now. I am sure it will change, but right now I CANNOT GET ENOUGH of this stuff.  When I was younger I did not think I liked black raspberry ice cream, but I think it was because I never ate real black raspberry ice cream made with real black raspberries.  BIG difference.  Almost a year ago I made a delicious alternative using good-quality black raspberry jam since it was not black raspberry season.  I would highly recommend the jam version to anyone needing a black raspberry ice cream fix, but if you have real black raspberries on hand, MAKE THIS ICE CREAM. NOW. Do not pass GO. RUN to you ice cream maker.

Okay maybe I sound like a crazy person, but I promise you will not be disappointed.  I know it is not black raspberry season right now, but I am hopeful that, like me, you have some black raspberries in your freezer that you have been saving for this very moment.  I picked the tiny black gems off of thorny bushes this past summer and it was worth every prick and stick.  I would do it again any day in order to make this ice cream.

Adapted from a recipe in my new cookbook, Scoop Adventures: The Best Ice Cream of the 50 States, this recipe will not disappoint any true lover of Black Raspberry Ice Cream.  The original recipe (from Susanna’s Ice Creams & Sorbets in Rhode Island) is a recipe for Raspberry Red Currant Ice Cream, which is also fabulous and hands down one of my top 5 recipes in the cookbook.  How could I go wrong using black raspberries?  I didn’t.  This recipe is awesome.  Make it.  Enjoy!

The Real Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream
Adapted from recipe in Scoop Adventures: The Best Ice Cream of the 50 States
Makes 1 quart

To incoorporate small bits of dark chocolate throughout the ice cream, the stracciatella method is used by drizzling warm chocolate into the churning ice cream.  This method may sound intimidating but I promise that it is worth it.  Give it a try.

1 1/4 pound black raspberries, fresh or frozen
3 egg yolks
1 ¼ cup (295ml) heavy cream, divided
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp kirsch (optional)
3 ounces dark chocolate

Begin by making black raspberry purée.  Warm fruit in microwave if using frozen.  Press black raspberries through a fine mesh sieve, preserving juice and pulp and discarding the seeds.  Reserve 1½ cups of black raspberry puree and store remainder for other uses.

Lightly whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Combine ¾ cup (177ml) heavy cream and sugar in a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat until mixture is hot and sugar dissolves. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring about ½ cup of the warmed cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly until combined. Return the warmed yolks to the pan with the remaining cream mixture. Heat the custard over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spatula, or to 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl.  Add the remaining ½ cup (118ml) of heavy cream, vanilla, and kirsch.  Stir well and cool to room temperature.  Once cool, add the black raspberry purée. Mix the custard and fruit together very thoroughly. Chill the mixture for several hours or overnight.

When ice cream base is chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When churning is near completion, use a double boiler to melt dark chocolate until completely smooth.  Transfer melted chocolate to a small ziploc bag and keep warm.

When ice cream is finished and begins to pull away from the sides of the canister, cut a small hole in the corner of the chocolate bag and slowly drizzle a small stream of warm chocolate into the churning ice cream.  If the ice cream isn’t moving well, the chocolate may be getting caught on the dasher, so move the ice cream away from the dasher using a spoon.*  Complete churning and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

*Tip: If you have trouble with the drizzle method, you can also alternate layers of drizzled chocolate with finished ice cream as you scoop it into a container (do not stir).