Coffee Ice Cream Recipe
A rich, creamy, and indulgent homemade coffee ice cream that perfectly balances sweet and bitter notes. This recipe creates a smooth, scoopable ice cream with an authentic coffee flavor, perfect for coffee lovers who want to enjoy their favorite beverage in frozen form.
Equipment
- Ice cream maker
- Medium saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Thermometer
- Airtight freezer container
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Ice bath setup (large bowl with ice)
Ingredients
Base Mixture
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 large egg yolks
Coffee Flavoring
- ¼ cup whole coffee beans Or 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder coarsely ground
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare Coffee Infusion, If using whole beans:
- Heat cream and milk in a saucepan
- Add ground coffee
- Bring to almost boiling
- Remove from heat and steep for 15 minutes
- Strain through fine-mesh strainer
If using instant espresso:
- Heat cream and milk
- Whisk in espresso powder until dissolved
Make Custard Base
- Whisk egg yolks in a bowl
- Add sugar and salt, whisk until pale yellow
- Slowly stream hot cream mixture into eggs while whisking
- Return mixture to saucepan
Cook Custard
- Heat over medium-low heat
- Stir constantly with wooden spoon
- Cook until mixture reaches 170°F (76°C)
- Mixture should coat back of spoon
Strain and Cool
- Strain custard through fine-mesh strainer
- Add vanilla extract
- Place bowl in ice bath
- Stir occasionally until cool
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight
Churn Ice Cream
- Pour chilled mixture into ice cream maker
- Churn according to manufacturer's instructions
- Usually takes 25-30 minutes
Freeze
- Transfer to airtight container
- Press plastic wrap against surface
- Freeze until firm (at least 2 hours)
Storage
- Keep in airtight container
- Will maintain best quality for up to 2 weeks
- Let soften 5 minutes before serving
Notes
Nutrition Facts Per serving (½ cup):
- Total Fat: 23g (Saturated Fat: 14g)
- Cholesterol: 185mg
- Sodium: 95mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 24g (Sugar: 22g)
- Protein: 5g
- Caffeine: 30-45mg
- Use high-quality coffee beans or espresso powder
- Don't skip the straining step
- Ensure mixture is completely chilled before churning
- Pre-freeze ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours
- Store in shallow container for better texture
- Mocha: Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder -
- Coffee Chip: Add ½ cup chocolate chips -
- Caramel Coffee: Swirl in ¼ cup caramel sauce -
- Vietnamese Coffee: Use sweetened condensed milk instead of some sugar