Let's get this straight: making ice cream is a noble profession, and ice cream makers do a great job of it for at-home cooks. But have you ever wondered if maybe there was more that your ice cream maker could offer you?
I'm here to say that yes, your ice cream maker is capable of more feats of delicious desserthood, particularly Frozen Hot Chocolate.
Before I go into how to make this magic happen, perhaps you're hoping that I will explain what frozen hot chocolate is, exactly. Happy to oblige.
Photo via Flickr member m01229
When I say "frozen hot chocolate", I don't merely mean hot chocolate to which you have added ice cubes. I am referring to a heavenly and rich, thick liquid that happens to be frozen. It might look a bit like a milkshake, but it's no milkshake. It's really just its own thing. Now that I promised to explain it to you, I feel like I am being a little unclear here, but basically, it boils down to this: frozen hot chocolate looks like a chocolate milkshake, but to call it a chocolate shake would simply not do it justice. Frozen hot chocolate has a much larger emphasis on the CHOCOLATE.
Frozen hot chocolate was popularized by NYC restaurant Serendipity 3, an old-school establishment frequented by Andy Warhol back in the day (read about the establishment's history, it's interesting).
According to an Epicurious article, "It's famous, it's infamous, it's notorious. It has destroyed diets and led to love affairs. Marriages have been proposed over it, couples have been wed in it, princes have been made from it. People have traveled from all corners of the world for just one sip of our creamy, dreamy, icy blend of chocolatey goodness. It'll make you want to blow bubbles through your straw. It makes everyone a child again."
Now, when Serendipity 3 finally released their recipe to the public, it asks that you make your fro-ho-cha with a blender. I beg to differ.
As I discovered, if you simply make a great hot chocolate and put it in your ice cream maker, the results are far creamier than blending with ice. It's smooth, it's creamy, and totally delicious. Make your ice cream maker a multi-use tool with this delicious recipe!
Frozen hot chocolate in an ice cream maker
You need:
- 2 cups milk, half and half, or cream
- 10 ounces good quality dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
An ice cream maker, with the drum chilled according to the manufacturer's instructions for making ice cream
1. Make the hot chocolate. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat (or in a double boiler), heat the dairy and chocolate until the chocolate totally melts.
2. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, add in a little salt, and let it sit until it reaches room temperature.
3. Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker, and churn for 10 minutes or so, or until the mixture is totally creamy and thickened. If at any point it starts getting too thick for your liking, just add a little bit more milk/cream.
Enjoy!