Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar, divided
- 5 large Egg Yolks
- 1 cup Strongly Brewed Coffee (cooled completely, or 4 shots of espresso diluted to 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Coffee: Brew 1 cup of very strong coffee and allow it to cool completely to room temperature. If using espresso, brew 4 shots and mix with ½ cup hot water to make 1 cup of strong coffee.
- Heat Dairy & Half Sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, salt, and ½ cup of the sugar. Heat over medium heat until steaming, but do not boil. Remove from heat.
- Temper the Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly drizzle about 1 cup of the hot dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly (tempering).
- Cook the Custard: Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (reaching about 175°F / 80°C). Do not let it boil.
- Strain and Flavor: Immediately remove the custard from the heat and pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to catch any cooked egg bits. Stir in the cooled strong coffee and vanilla extract.
- Chill the Base: Cover the surface of the ice cream base directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until completely cold (below 40°F / 4°C).
- Churn: Pour the chilled base into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20-30 minutes, until it reaches a thick, soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze (Ripen): Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Press a piece of parchment paper onto the surface, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 4 hours to fully harden before serving.
Notes
- For an extra coffee kick, consider adding 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder directly into the saucepan with the dairy mixture in Step 2.
- If you prefer an egg-free (Philadelphia-style) ice cream, you can skip steps 3 and 4. Simply heat the dairy, mix with the sugar until dissolved, cool completely, and then mix in the coffee, salt, and vanilla before chilling and churning.
- To soften the ice cream for easier scooping, let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: PT20M
- Cook Time: PT15M
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: Custard Base (Churned)
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ Cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 170mg