Recipe Review

David Lebovitz’s Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

updated Jun 5, 2019
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Confession: We had a foodie crush on David Lebovitz long before we saw the tour of his quirky Paris kitchen last week. We’ve been loving his Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream for some time now.

The recipe comes from Lebovitz’s book The Perfect Scoop, and, like the Guinness Milkshakes from last week, would be a natural for St. Patrick’s Day. But we love it as a deeper, more complicated winter alternative to all the crisp vanillas and frosty fruit flavors of summer. The Guinness gives a frothy texture, and the milk chocolate is smooth, sweet, but not so strong that you miss the slightly yeasty taste.

See our finished product and get the recipe below…

Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
makes about one quart

7 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Guinness Stout
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer over the milk chocolate, then stir until the chocolate is melted. Once the mixture is smooth, whisk in the cream, then the Guinness and vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Reprinted with permission from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz, copyright © 2007. Published by Ten Speed Press.

(Book cover photo by Lara Hata; ice cream photo by Elizabeth Passarella)