Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Stout Ice Cream

Most of the time, when I decide to bring a beer recipe to fruition, it’s because the flavor combinations brought to mind a certain beer.  This time, however, a beer inspired the perfect recipe.  I received Ipswich Oatmeal Stout through the Craft Beer club.  After the first sip, I knew I had to make an ice cream containing this beer.  This stout is undeniably brewed with coffee, and what goes better with ice cream than coffee?  Chocolate; chunks of chocolate.

Beer Ice Cream Recipe

• A stand mixer with ice cream attachment or some type of ice cream maker
• 1 bottle of stout (I used Ipswich Oatmeal Stout)
• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 6 egg yolks

First, pour the bottle of beer into a small saucepan and bring to a slow simmer.  Once it has reduced a bit, take it off of the burner, and set it to the side to cool.  Cut your vanilla bean in half vertically and scrape out the insides; keep the husk.

In a medium stockpot, combine the cream, milk, sugar, and the vanilla bean (insides and husk).  Bring this to a slow simmer, whisking occasionally to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.  While this mixture is heating, beat your egg yolks.  Once the cream mixture is simmering, remove from heat and pour a cup of the cream into the eggs to temper them while whisking vigorously; add the eggs into the stock pot and stir — bring back to a slow boil.

After the cream is back to a boil, remove from heat.  Get a strainer and strain the cream into a bowl.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap against the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming on the cream.  Put this in the refrigerator for at least two hours to cool.  When two hours has passed, start boiling some water in a small sauce pan.  Put a glass bowl over the pan as a make-shift double boiler.  Add the semi-sweet chocolate to the bowl, and melt until it’s smooth and consistent.

As the chocolate is melting, take the cream out of the refrigerator and add the stout reduction and mix well.  Pour the cream into the ice cream bowl on the stand mixer/ice cream maker and let it begin to churn.  As the ice cream is churning, allow the chocolate in the boiler to cool a bit and begin to add slowly.  This will give the swirly/chunk chocolate action you’re looking for, similar to a Moose Tracks ice cream.  After about 20 minutes of churning, you should notice the mixture firming up and freezing.  Put the ice cream in an air tight container and pop it in the freezer.  Once it’s frozen, eat.  Then eat some more; you’ll probably eat a lot.

The ice cream leans heavily toward coffee flavored ice cream, but the bitterness of beer is still there.  Add the bits of chocolate and you’ve got the trifecta. If you have the ability (read: you own a contraption that enables you to make ice cream) or you know someone who does, try this recipe out; whether it’s with Ipswich Oatmeal Stout or any other highly caffeinated beer; you won’t be disappointed.