Dark Chocolate Vanilla Ice Cream

Jun 18, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Ice cream frozen desserts Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Beans Medium

Dark chocolate vanilla ice cream made with Tahitian vanilla

Dark chocolate ice cream flavored with a whole vanilla bean. An intermediate recipe: 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, plus chilling and freezing; serves 8. Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.

Prep 20 min

Cook 15 min

Chill & Freeze 8 hr

Total 8 hr 35 min

Servings 8

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

2.0 cups (480.0 ml)heavy cream
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)whole milk
¾ cup (150.0 g)granulated sugar
6.0large egg yolks
⅛ tspfine sea salt
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
¾ cup (130.0 g)chopped dark chocolate

Make it at home

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Instructions

Warm the cream, milk, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles form at the edges, about 5 minutes. Don't let it boil.
Whisk the chopped chocolate into the warm cream mixture until melted and smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until the mixture turns pale yellow and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Slowly pour about a cup of the hot cream into the yolks while whisking constantly, then pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook gently, stirring, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (170°F/77°C).
Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, then chill until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions until thick, with a soft-serve consistency.
Transfer to a container and freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm enough to scoop.

Tips

Use chocolate between 60% and 70% cacao so its bitterness balances the vanilla's sweetness.
Don't toss the scraped pods: tuck them into a jar of sugar for homemade vanilla sugar.
No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.
Choosing vanilla: Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky) suits this recipe best; Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy) is a great alternative, and any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla ice cream?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, plus 8 hr chill & freeze. The recipe makes 8 servings.

How should I store vanilla ice cream?

Keep it in an airtight container in the freezer with plastic wrap pressed on the surface; it tastes best within 2 weeks.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This version uses 1 split vanilla bean. You can swap in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder instead; they're interchangeable at these amounts. Beans give the most visible specks and the fullest aroma.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

420 Calories / serving

31.2g Fat

32.1g Carbs

5.3g Protein

29.6g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3360 cal · 250g fat · 257g carbs · 42g protein · 237g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 420 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 79 min·4.6 mi·~9250 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 57 min·2.9 mi·~5700 steps
Moderate cycling 43 min·8.6 mi
Swimming laps 59 min
Jogging 41 min·3.4 mi·~6550 steps
Stair climbing 39 min·~3500 steps
Dancing 68 min
Bodyweight circuit training 43 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 98 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.