SWIRLED AND LAYERED ICE CREAMS
With vodka, dried cranberries, chocolate, milk, heavy cream, sugar, xanthan gum, and gelatine.
This is our Dark Chocolate Ice Cream loaded with vodka and vodka-soaked cranberries. The dark chocolate ice cream is as dark as it should be, with intense chocolate flavour and a fantastic mouthfeel. The addition of vodka enhances the dark chocolate’s sharpness and helps the ice cream stay soft in the freezer, which is very much welcomed with all this cocoa and chocolate the ice cream contains that typically makes the ice cream hard.
The dried cranberries are soaked overnight in the vodka syrup, allowing them to absorb it and plump up to twice their original size. These little pockets of cranberry deliciousness burst with vodka flavour in every spoonful, complementing the dark chocolate ice cream as it melts in your mouth.
Two additional ingredients make this ice cream extraordinary:
• gelatine: thanks to it, we can add plentiful vodka and still achieve a fluffy texture during churning (alcohol typically makes the ice cream melty and churns it to a sad, sloppy mess), it also keeps the ice cream from melting too fast during serving
• xanthan gum gives the ice cream a fantastic mouthfeel and texture without the need for egg yolks.
When making ice cream, prefer to weigh all the ingredients, even the liquid ones. We also recommend – whenever possible – to weigh the liquid ingredients directly into the bowl/pan as you proceed with the recipe instead of transferring them from one bowl to another because this transfer causes a small -but unwanted- loss of quantity.
If you do not have a kitchen scale, follow these guidelines:
• 1 cup (US) = 237 ml | 1 tablespoons = 15 ml
• sugar: measuring sugar in tablespoons is more accurate than measuring it in cups. Use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon (not a regular one); this is 13 gr of sugar. To measure correctly, each time you scoop the sugar, level it with the flat side of a knife.
• chocolate/couverture: measuring chocolate in cups is not possible because measurements vary depending on how finely chopped the chocolate is. Instead, you can estimate the number of chocolate pieces you need based on the weight of the chocolate bar as written on the packaging.
• milk and heavy cream: thoroughly scrape with a rubber spatula any residues left on the sides and bottom of the cup every time you measure something and empty it.
Note that the quantities in each measuring system (grams, ounces, and cups) in our recipes may not always be accurate conversions; any deviations in conversions you may notice do not affect the outcome.
This recipe makes a 1.2 litre/quart ice cream mixture (before churning), perfect for ice cream makers with a capacity of 1.5 and up to 2 litres/quarts (like Cuisinart ice cream makers).
If you need to scale the ice cream mixture up or down, use this ratio of the ingredients (in weight only):
whole milk 43.9% | heavy cream 27.2% | sugar 13.4 % | chocolate 70% 11.3% | cocoa powder 4.2% in desired total weight of ice cream mixture.
You can enhance the flavour of this dark chocolate ice cream by substituting regular sugar with high-quality raw cane sugar, such as Demerara or Turbinado. These sugars have a natural subtle caramel flavour that complements the chocolate’s tropical notes and enhances its overall flavour.
A flexible rubber spatula is good for:
-wiping the bottom of the saucepan when you cook dairy on the stovetop.
-scraping residues from bowls, saucepans etc.
If you do not have one, we strongly encourage you to buy one, preferably a flexible one.
Prepare the soaked cranberries and ice cream mixture the day before churning the ice cream (or at least 8 hours before).
If your ice cream maker has a removable freezer bowl, put it in the freezer for the whole time indicated by the manufacturer before churning, usually 24 hours.
Soak the cranberries in the vodka syrup: place the sugar (30 g; 1 oz) into a bowl and pour the boiling water (30 g; 1 oz) over it; stir to dissolve the sugar completely; be patient, it takes a while. Pour the vodka (60 g; 2.1 oz) over the syrup, and add the lime zest if using and stir. Add the dried cranberries (100 g; 3.5 oz) and stir to ensure that all cranberries are submerged in the vodka. Cover and set aside at room temperature to soak for at least 8 hours; during this time, the cranberries will absorb the most vodka possible and become plumpy and boozy.
Prepare the gelatine: Place the gelatine leaves/granules (2 gelatine leaves / 2 tsp gelatine granules) into a flat bowl and pour over 65 g of the cold milk (2.3 oz). Stir around to moisten; if using gelatine leaves, make sure they don’t overlap. If they do, stir them often so they don’t stick together. Set aside.
Set up the blender and have it ready to use.
Combine the cocoa powder and sugar in a medium saucepan: add the cocoa powder(s) (50 g; 1.8 oz) and sugar (145 g; 5.1 oz) into a medium saucepan and stir thoroughly to combine, breaking down any cocoa lumps with the rubber spatula, until the mixture is a uniform colour.
Pour 100 g of the milk (3.5 oz) into the saucepan and stir with the rubber spatula to thoroughly moisten the sugar and cocoa powder. Scrape the saucepan’s bottom, corners, and sides until they feel completely smooth and free of solidified lumps. Take your time with this step, as it will prevent residues from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan during boiling.
Add 200 g more milk (7.1 oz) and all the heavy cream (165 g; 5.8 oz) to the saucepan and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil: Warm over medium heat, often stirring, until the cocoa dissolves and the milk is hot and steamy.
Increase the heat to high. As soon as the milk comes to a rolling boil (when large bubbles that pop vigorously appear on the surface / approx. 90°C / 195°F / if it starts to overflow), immediately remove it from the heat and
Add the chopped chocolate (140 g; 4.9 oz) into the saucepan and whisk to melt the chocolate. The whisk should come out clean of chocolate residues. Pause once to scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan, then whisk again.
Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the blender jug and turn the blender on (medium speed). Note: By now, the blending mixture has reached the right temperature to add the xanthan gum (approximately 60 °C/140°F) if you go from boiling the milk to adding the chocolate and blending without stopping.
Turn the blender on (medium speed).
Sprinkle in the xanthan gum, then add the gelatine & milk: with the blender on, carefully open the cap and slowly sprinkle the xanthan gum (½ teaspoon) over the blending surface of the mixture, avoiding the sides of the cap.
Then, add the softened gelatine leaves/granules and their milk.
Blend for 2 minutes to fully hydrate the xanthan gum; do not estimate the time; set a timer. Do not expect the blend to thicken; it will thicken as it cools.
Add the remaining cold milk (400 g; 14.1 oz) into the empty saucepan and stir with a rubber spatula to collect any cocoa residues. Pour it into the blender and blend, pausing once to thoroughly scrape off residues from the sides and bottom. Blend until it is a uniform brown colour with no streaks.
Add the vodka (30 g; 1 oz) and blend to combine.
Pour the ice cream mixture into a bowl, preferably made of stainless steel or heatproof glass, as these materials chill the mixture more quickly. Avoid using plastic bowls, as they may not cool the mixture effectively.
Chill until completely cold: cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Xanthan gum needs 6-8 hours in the refrigerator to fully develop, so do not rush the cooling process.
Check if the ice cream mixture is cold before churning it: it should feel fridge-cold when you place your finger into it (below 12ºC / 54ºF, if you have a thermometer).
Strain the cranberries: place a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and pour over the cranberries and vodka syrup. Stir around the cranberries to release any leftover syrup and place them into a bowl; put them in the freezer to chill them.
Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Blitz the ice cream mixture with an immersion blender, pausing once to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Churn: with the machine running, pour the ice cream mixture through the canister and into the ice cream maker. Leave to churn until creamy and wavy; depending on your ice cream maker, this can take anywhere from 30-70 minutes.
When the ice cream is ready:
Add the strained cranberries: with the ice cream maker running, gradually add the strained cold cranberries, a tablespoon at a time. Leave to churn for 10 more minutes until the cranberries are evenly distributed.
Add more vodka (optional): if the ice cream is nice and fluffy after the cranberries are incorporated, for an extra strong vodka flavour, you can add up to 2 tablespoons more vodka if you are making this during winter (or up to 1 tablespoon if the weather is hot). How to decide if you want to add it: Taste the ice cream, and if you judge that you want it more boozy, gradually add 1–2 tablespoons of vodka.
This ice cream mixture expands and becomes airy as it churns. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks smooth, creamy, and slightly wavy—similar to soft-serve ice cream. Churning time varies depending on your machine and can take anywhere from 30 to 70 minutes.
To check the texture, lift a spoonful. It should be thick enough to stay on the spoon, but still soft. If it looks too thin or starts melting immediately, it needs more time.
If you’re unsure, let it churn for 10 more minutes. Keep in mind that it won’t look like store-bought ice cream at this point—it will still be soft. It only becomes firm and scoopable after a few hours in the freezer.
Stop the machine once the mixture is thick and creamy. If you continue churning beyond that point, the mixture can start losing the air it has built up and may seize, resulting in a dense, heavy texture.
One important note: some ice cream makers are programmed to stop automatically after a fixed time, but that doesn’t always mean the ice cream is ready. If your machine stops and the mixture still looks too soft, simply restart it and continue churning until the texture improves.
Put in the freezer to set: before serving the ice cream or moving it to a container for storing, you have to put it in the freezer to set. To do so, turn off the ice cream maker and:
· remove the removable freezer bowl (still filled with the ice cream) from the ice cream machine
· remove the paddle, scraping any ice cream attached to it back into the ice cream bowl
· cover the ice cream bowl and place it in the freezer
Setting time depends on many factors; see notes below for indicative times.
Serve or store: when it sets, you can serve it directly from the removable freezer bowl or transfer it to an airtight container for longer storage.
The setting time depends on the type of ice cream maker you’re using. Here are the general guidelines:
3–5 hours for machines with removable freezer bowls (these bowls must be pre-frozen before churning)
Under 1 hour for machines with built-in compressors and aluminum bowls
⚠️ Important: Ice cream in aluminum bowls sets quickly. Do not leave it for too long—once fully frozen, it can become extremely hard and difficult to remove without risking scratches to the bowl. Always monitor it closely.
To check if the ice cream is ready, aim for an internal temperature of –11°C (12°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, use this simple test:
Insert a round-tip knife all the way to the bottom of the ice cream:
✔ If it goes in smoothly but meets gentle resistance, it’s ready
✖ If it feels hard on top but soft underneath, it needs more time
✖ If it’s too firm to insert the knife, it’s over-frozen and likely too hard to scoop
If it’s over-frozen, don’t worry—head to the next section for how to bring it back to scoopable.
If the ice cream sits in the freezer in the removable freezer bowl for too long after it has set, it can become too hard to scoop or remove.
To make it scoopable again:
Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the ice cream to soften gradually.
Here’s how long that may take:
4–10 hours for removable freezer bowls (pre-freeze models)
1–2 hours for aluminum bowls (from compressor ice cream makers)
Note: These times are approximate and may vary depending on your fridge and the amount of ice cream. Check the texture occasionally as it softens.
Once the ice cream is soft enough to scoop—or its internal temperature reads approximately –11°C (12°F)—you can:
✔ Transfer it to another container and store it in the freezer
✔ Or serve it directly from the bowl
Just be sure to avoid digging into an over-frozen bowl with hard utensils, especially if using a nonstick-coated or aluminum bowl.
Straight after churning, the ice cream has a soft-serve consistency and melts almost instantly on contact. At this stage, it’s too soft to serve neatly or transfer easily—it’s simply too messy to handle.
Freezing the ice cream immediately after churning allows it to set properly. This step brings it to the right texture: scoopable, stable, and easy to portion or transfer into a storage container.
It’s the final step that turns churned ice cream into finished ice cream.
Storing: In the freezer for one month, cover it well to protect it from absorbing the freezer’s smells.
Scooping: this ice cream remains scoopable in the long term, thanks to its high alcohol content, and you can enjoy it straight out of the freezer.
