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Two dessert bowls of amaretto ice cream with a bottle of the liqueur in the background.
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Chocolate-Amaretto Ice Cream

Everyone’s favorite summertime dessert gets an extra fun kick with this chocolate-amaretto ice cream! An ultra creamy, luscious chocolate ice cream base is elevated with rich Italian amaretto liqueur to make one unforgettable treat. After one bite, you’ll never need another chocolate ice cream recipe.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 316kcal
Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Plastic wrap
  • Ice cream machine

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 7 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 tablespoons amaretto

Instructions

  • Whisk together the heavy cream, milk, sugar and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to whisk periodically to help dissolve the sugar and incorporate the cocoa powder. Once it simmers, turn off heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Do not bring to a boil as this can cause the milk to separate.
  • Whisk egg yolks, vanilla and almond extract until pale for about three minutes.
  • Temper the yolks by adding about ¼ to ½ cup of warm cream mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat this step a few times.
  • Add tempered egg-cream mixture back to the pot. Whisk constantly over medium heat and bring back to a simmer. Again, do not boil. Cook until mixture thickens and covers the back of a wooden spoon. Turn off heat.
  • Pour into a large bowl, and then directly cover the top of the custard's surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least four hours to ensure proper churning, though I recommend overnight if possible.
  • Pour custard in an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. In the last couple minutes of churning, add the amaretto to the ice cream machine.
  • Pour the churned ice cream into an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze until firm for several hours before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Do not ever let the ice cream base boil. Keep it at a simmer. If it boils, the milk can separate.
  • Make sure you only add the amaretto in the last minute or two during churning. The alcohol can cause the ice cream to not set up properly if you add it right away.
  • I find 2 tablespoons of amaretto is perfect, but feel free to taste and add another tablespoon or two while churning if you'd like a stronger amaretto flavor. 
  • When covering the custard with plastic wrap, make sure it directly touches the surface. This helps prevent a film for forming.
  • Do not skip the tempering process and add all the hot cream mixture at once. This can scramble the eggs. I’m positive you don’t want scrambled egg ice cream.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 245mg | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1201IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 1mg