Ice cream with ground chicory and dark chocolate

4 servings

60 minutes

This unusual European ice cream combines rich coffee-nutty notes of chicory with the creaminess of cheese and the richness of dark chocolate. The idea of using chicory dates back to when it served as a coffee substitute, adding depth and a slight bitterness to desserts. Vanilla extract softens its sharpness, while chocolate chips add texture, turning each spoonful into a gastronomic delight. This ice cream is perfect for sophisticated gourmets seeking a balance of sweet and bitter and pairs wonderfully with nuts or berries. It can be served as a standalone dessert or used in complex culinary compositions, such as a base for exquisite parfaits.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 434.8
• Proteins: 5.6g
• Fats: 26.7g
• Carbohydrates: 42.7g

Ingredients

• Milk 3.2%: 400 ml
• Cream 30%: 200 ml
• Sugar: 100 g
• Salt: pinch
• Cornstarch: 4 tsp
• Cream cheese: 50 g
• Ground chicory: 3 tbsp
• Vanilla extract: 0.5 tsp
• Dark chocolate: 50 g

Cooking steps

1. Dissolve starch in 50ml of milk and set aside temporarily.

   Required ingredients:

   • Cornstarch: 4 teaspoons
   • Milk 3.2%: 400 ml

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix the remaining milk, cream, salt, and sugar, and cook until almost boiling. Remove from heat, add chicory, wait for it to dissolve completely, and return the saucepan to the heat. Pour in the starch milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, add cream cheese, and mix until smooth. Cool the custard to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator overnight.

   Required ingredients:

   • Milk 3.2%: 400 ml
   • Cream 30%: 200 ml
   • Salt:  pinch
   • Sugar: 100 g
   • Ground chicory: 3 tablespoons
   • Cornstarch: 4 teaspoons
   • Cream cheese: 50 g

3. Pour the custard into the ice cream maker, add vanilla extract, and freeze according to instructions. In the last minutes of freezing (when the ice cream pulls away from the walls of the freezer), add chopped 70% dark chocolate in fairly large chunks.

   Required ingredients:

   • Vanilla extract: 0.5 teaspoon
   • Dark chocolate: 50 g

4. If you don't have a freezer, add vanilla extract at the same stage as the cream cheese, mix until smooth, pour the custard into a clean ice cream container, and place it in the freezer. Take out the container and stir its contents every 20-30 minutes until fully frozen. Sprinkle the ice cream with chocolate chips just before tasting.

   Required ingredients:

   • Vanilla extract: 0.5 teaspoon
   • Dark chocolate: 50 g