Keto Chocolate Ice Cream

by Diana Rattray

This homemade keto chocolate ice cream is creamy and delicious! I love finding ways to incorporate sweet treats into a low carb diet, and this ice cream is the perfect treat for a sugar-free diet. The texture is smooth and creamy, just like traditional ice cream, but without the guilt that can come from eating a sugary version. The ice cream is easy to customize as well. Add a swirl of melted sugar-free chocolate just before freezing, or stir in some chopped nuts or mini marshmallows. I used allulose in the ice cream, but an alternative sweetener may be used. Just make sure it is equivalent to 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar.

To make this delicious homemade ice cream, you’ll use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, heavy cream, and a natural low-carb sweetener. With these simple ingredients, there’s no worry about artificial ingredients or preservatives. I added a little glycerin, which keeps the frozen ice cream slightly softer, and the xanthan gum, which adds to the thickening power of the eggs. Both of these ingredients are entirely optional, and the ice cream is just as fabulous without them.

If you’re a chocolate lover who’s looking for a guilt-free indulgence, I highly recommend giving this ice cream a try!

Preparation Notes

• First, place a metal sieve over a large bowl and set it aside. You’ll use it later to strain the custard.
• Separate the eggs; refrigerate or freeze the egg whites for other recipes and put the yolks in a medium bowl; add the salt and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

• Put the milk, cream, sweetener, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture is blended and steaming hot. Remove the pan from the heat.

• While whisking constantly, slowly stream about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. This is called “tempering,” which is a technique used to raise the temperature of the eggs before adding them to a hot liquid without scrambling them. If you added the yolks to the saucepan of hot milk and cream without tempering, the temperature change would likely make them cook too quickly and curdle, which would make your ice cream mixture lumpy.
• Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan mixture and place it over medium-low heat. Cook the custard until the mixture coats a spoon. I usually look for a temperature of 170 F to 180 F.

• Strain the custard through the metal sieve into the bowl you set aside. Straining will remove any bits of cooked egg or other lumps that may have formed during the cooking process. This helps to ensure a smooth, silky ice cream with a creamy texture.
• Whisk in the vanilla, then whisk in the glycerin and xanthan gum, if using.
• Let the mixture cool to room temperature. To cool it quickly, place the bowl in a larger bowl or pan of ice water and stir it frequently.

• Once the custard has cooled, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator until it is thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Give the chilled custard a stir and pour it into the ice cream machine. Churn following the manufacturer’s directions.
• Transfer the soft-serve custard mixture into a freezer container and freeze it for a few hours, until firm and scoopable.

• Enjoy your delicious guilt-free frozen treat!

Variations

• For chocolate chip ice cream, add finely chopped sugar free chocolate to the churned ice cream. Or drizzle melted and cooled sugar-free chocolate into it as it churns.
• Stir a cup or 2 of crumbled sugar-free chocolate cookies into the churned mixture before it goes into the freezer.
• Add 2 tablespoons of liqueur, such as amaretto or a chocolate liqueur. The alcohol adds flavor and keeps the ice cream softer and more scoopable. Omit the glycerin if adding alcohol.

What does “coat a spoon” mean?

Many custards and sauces instruct you to cook until the mixture coats a spoon. It simply means that you should dip a spoon into the mixture, then lift it out. Draw your finger through the liquid on the back of the spoon. If the trail you made with your finger fills in, the custard or sauce is not ready. If the trail remains visible, it’s ready.

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