Search

Main page >  Ice Cream Recipes  >  The Chocolate Collection > with xanthan gum

THE LIKE-A-PRO ICE CREAM

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
• with xanthan gum •

(aka gelato-style)

With chocolate, milk powder, milk, heavy cream, sugar, and xanthan gum.

This milk chocolate ice cream captures the flavour of a good milk chocolate bar — cocoa warmth, creamy milk notes and a rounded chocolate profile — without the excessive sweetness that usually comes with it. Rather than relying on milk chocolate alone, the flavour is built by carefully adjusting dark chocolate and adding milk solids to recreate that unmistakable milk chocolate character in a more balanced and controlled way. The result is a clear, true milk chocolate flavour that remains consistent every time.

With xanthan gum, the fat is reduced from 20% to 15%, creating a lighter yet fuller mouthfeel — closer to gelato, with body but no heaviness. The texture is stable and dependable, melting at a steady pace during serving and holding well in the freezer.

more to explore:

The Chocolate Collection
Xanthan Gum Recipes
The ingredients

Do not reduce or replace anything; everything is there for a reason.

Ingredients for milk chocolate ice cream: milk, heavy cream, sugar, dark chocolate, milk powder and xanthan gum arranged on a wooden board in a bright kitchen.

• Chocolate/couverture: the taste of this ice cream will be as good as the taste of the chocolate (or couverture) you use, so pick one you like. In the recipe, we use chocolate with 70% cocoa solids, but you can make this ice cream with any chocolate between 50–100% cocoa solids by using our chocolate calculator.

• Milk powder gives milk chocolate its characteristic creamy milk flavour, which is why it is used here to shape the milk chocolate ice cream’s flavour. It is available in two common varieties: skim milk powder (virtually fat-free) and whole milk powder (about 26% fat). Both work in this recipe. Skim milk powder helps create a naturally full texture without adding extra fat, while whole milk powder can contribute a slightly buttery note.

• Sugar: Use regular sugar (white granulated sugar) or a raw cane sugar such as Demerara or Turbinado, which enhances the chocolate’s flavour.

Do not use any other sugar or sweetener, natural or artificial, liquid or powder, like honey, stevia, golden syrup, table sweeteners, confectioner’s sugar, etc.

• Milk: Use whole milk, with around 3,5% fat. Do not substitute with skimmed milk (lower fat) or non-dairy milk. You need the fat, milk proteins and lactose that whole milk contains for this ice cream recipe. 

• Heavy cream: For this recipe, you can use heavy cream with 35% and up to 36% fat content. It is also OK to use heavy cream suitable for whipping or ultra-pasteurised cream, if it has the right fat content (35-36% fat). Do not use low-fat or non-dairy cream, the ice cream will be icy.

• Xanthan gum can be found in speciality shops, health food stores and online. Read more about it here.

🎥 Watch us making it
The recipe
Milk Chocolate Ice Cream | with xanthan gum
  • Special equipment: ice cream maker, blender
  • Yields: 1.4 litre/quart ice cream
  • Makes: 1.2 ltr (quarts) ice cream mixture (before churning), ideal for 1.5 ltr (quart) ice cream makers.
Ingredients:
Notes:

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 tablespoon = 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):

milk 47.4% / heavy cream 29.1% / sugar 12.9 % / chocolate with 70% cocoa solids 7.1% / milk powder 3.3% / xanthan gum 0.12%

in desired total weight of ice cream mixture.

For example, if you want to make 1000 g (approx. 1 litre) of ice cream mixture, you need:

• 1000 g x 47.4% = 474 g milk

• 1000 g x 29.1% = 291 g heavy cream

• 1000 g x 12.9% = 129 g sugar

• 1000 g x 7.1% = 71 g chocolate with 70% cocoa solids

• 1000 g x 3.3% = 33 g milk powder

• 1000 g x 0.12% = 1.2 g xanthan gum

You can adjust the quantity of the xanthan gum in the recipe to your liking, depending on the texture you want to achieve:

  • To slightly stabilise the ice cream without affecting its texture and mouthfeel much, use 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum and decrease the sugar by 10 g (0.35 oz)
  • To create a firmer texture, which has a fuller body and mouthfeel, use 1/2 teaspoon as per the recipe 
  • For a stretchy texture similar to Booza/salep ice cream, use 1 teaspoon xanthan gum and increase the sugar in the recipe by 15 g (0.5 oz)

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. 

Instructions
Plan ahead:

The ice cream mixture needs to rest and cool completely before churning, so prepare it in advance (approx. 8 hours before) to give it time to chill in the refrigerator.

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.

Step 1: Make the ice cream mixture

Set up the blender to have it ready to use.

Chop the chocolate (85 g) into fine pieces.

Combine the milk powder and the sugar: in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the milk powder (40 g) and the sugar (155 g). Stir with a rubber spatula until evenly mixed, taking the time to break down any lumps.

Gradually add in the cold milk (570 g): pour in a splash of the cold milk, stirring to moisten the sugar mixture, then gradually add the remaining milk, stirring as you go, scraping the bottom and sides of the saucepan.

Heat until how and steamy: Warm over medium heat, often stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high; remove from the heat when it is very hot and visibly steamy (this is at 75° C / 167° F).

Add the chopped chocolate (85 g) into the saucepan with the hot milk. Stir to melt the chocolate; alternate between whisking and stirring, scraping the bottom and sides of the saucepan with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate is fully melted and the whisk comes out clean, with no chocolate clinging to it. Scrape any chocolate bits off the spatula back into the pan.

Blend: Pour the warm chocolate mixture into the blender jug and turn the blender on.

Note: the mixture is at around 50º C / 122º F , which is the right temperature for the xanthan gum to dissolve efficiently. 

Sprinkle in the xanthan gum: with the blender on, sprinkle the xanthan gum (½ teaspoon) over the surface and blend for 2 minutes to fully hydrate the xanthan gum. Do not expect the blend to thicken; it will thicken as it cools.

Add the cold heavy cream (350 g) and blend to combine. Pause once to scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula. You’re aiming for a uniform brown colour, with no streaks in the mixture or on the sides of the blender.

Step 2: Chill the ice cream mixture

Strain the ice cream mixture over a fine-mesh sieve and into a bowl.

Cool it down: prepare an ice bath by putting the bowl with the ice cream mixture into a larger bowl and filling the empty sides with ice cubes and cold water. How many ice cubes? A tray of ice cubes (200 g; 7 oz of ice) is enough to cool down the ice cream mixture: we just need to cool it down until it is no longer warm to the touch so that you can safely put it in the refrigerator. This will take approx. 15 minutes; do stir occasionally.

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.

Step 3: Churn the ice cream

Check if the ice cream mixture is cold before churning it: 4ºC–12ºC / 39ºF-54ºF / it feels fridge-cold when you place your index finger into it.

Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Blend before churning: briefly blitz the ice cream mixture with an immersion blender, stopping once to scrape down the sides and bottom with a rubber spatula. This improves consistency and ensures a smooth, even texture.

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 30-60 minutes.

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.

 

Step 4: Put the ice cream in the freezer to set

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 
· place it in the freezer, uncovered
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 and serving

Storing: Transfer the finished ice cream to a lidded container and store it in the freezer for up to one month.
Cover it well to protect it from absorbing any unwanted freezer smells.

Scooping: Like all artisanal-style ice creams, this one freezes hard over time.
To make it scoopable again, place the container in the refrigerator for 45–60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about –11°C (12°F).
Once softened, it’ll scoop cleanly and serve beautifully.

You will also love:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.