Homemade Java Chip Ice Cream

Java chip ice cream is my idea of heaven on earth. And while the summer may be waning, I couldn’t resist the thought once it came into my head – homemade Java Chip Ice Cream, using a delicious base with an incredible coffee flavor, studded with lots of bittersweet chocolate.  

I used to be content with store-bought, at least when I could get the original Starbuck’s version of java chip. That flavor was just about perfect in my book. But then Starbuck’s changed the recipe to one that company called “Java Chip Frappucino;”  it was a pale imitation of the original and I lost interest. After a few disappointing purchases of other brands, I gave up.

Moving on, I ate more than my share of nutella espresso cookies and drank coffee (hot or iced) with chocolate chess pie. They were good, even great. But when I really wanted a fix of Java chip ice cream, those substitutes just didn’t do the trick. 

That’s when I stumbled upon the Jeni’s Ice Cream Base. Although I’d heard that Jeni’s was an incredible ice cream, and had seen it in stores, this was my chance to try a homemade version. So I researched how to add coffee flavoring and decided on Elise Bauer’s (Simply Recipes) steeping method. With a bunch of roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate, the result was amazing. 

This version of Java chip may not be exactly like the Starbuck’s one I used to pine for. Without a side-by-side comparison, I really can’t say. But it’s wonderfully creamy, the coffee flavor is deep and rich, and the chocolate is in the right proportions. With dark roasted beans and bittersweet chocolate, this ice cream isn’t too sweet. The coffee and chocolate flavors really come through  and the coffee aroma is intense when you add the beans to the base and let it steep.

Elise Bauer uses all decaffeinated beans in her coffee ice cream, while I used a 50/50 mix of caf and decaf; as long as you use dark roasted beans, the choice or proportion of caf and decaf shouldn’t affect the taste.

I won’t kid you – homemade ice cream takes more time and work than a batch of cookies or a bundt cake. But the results can be incredible. And when you use higher quality ingredients than most store bought, and no additives, you’re in for a treat. 

You’ll need an ice cream maker for this recipe. I have one and have discovered that many of my friends do too; if you don’t, ask friends and neighbors if they have one you might borrow.

Two Important Notes on Making Homemade Java Chip Ice Cream –

1. Size of the chocolate chunks – The chocolate won’t change size when you add it to the ice cream. Make sure none of the chunks is too large – I would say that none should be larger than the size of your pinky nail and most should be smaller. If you prefer, use bittersweet chocolate chips and chop or grind a bunch of them so that you get different size pieces.
2. Freezing the ice cream maker container – The container must be well frozen before you begin churning the ice cream. Put it in the freezer (empty), wrapped in a plastic bag the night before you want to make the ice cream. Take the container out only minutes before you need it to churn the ice cream (the last step) to keep it freezing cold. 

Preparing the coffee ice cream base is simple, but does require a bit of patience. After bringing the milk-and-cream-base to a very low simmer with the coffee beans submerged, you just let the mixture steep for 60-90 minutes. When it is done steeping, you remove the coffee beans (with a slotted spoon) and heat the base. 

The cooking process thickens the base enough to coat a spoon well. 

Then you mix in the rest of the ingredients, except for the chocolate chunks. (They go in after the ice cream is put into the ice cream maker.)

When you’re done cooking the homemade java chip ice cream, you simply cool the mixture in a plastic bag submerged in ice water, and then churn it in your ice cream maker. 

Once churned, the ice cream just needs a few hours in the freezer to set. Then it’s ready for scooping. I’m an ice cream cone girl from way back, but others in my house prefer a couple of scoops in a dish. And if you’re so inclined, this java chip makes an awesome ice cream soda. 

What did I do with the coffee beans after I used them to steep out the coffee flavor? Seeing that I was about to throw them out, my husband suggested rinsing and drying them on a cheesecloth-line wire rack, then using them to make our morning coffee. I was dubious, but agreed. After all, if I have cooked pasta in cold water thanks to my buddy Donna Currie, why not try using already-steeped beans for coffee? The result was perfectly good coffee. I wouldn’t have guessed that the beans had been “pre-used” if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Count this among the many reasons, I am glad I married the guy. 

Print Recipe

Java Chip Ice Cream Yum

Creamy, dreamy java chip with chunks of bittersweet chocolate immersed in a heavenly coffee-scented ice cream.

Servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream whipping
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese 1½ ounces
• 1 cup whole dark roasted coffee beans regular or decaffeinated (I used a 50/50 mix)
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped (about 1 cup)

Servings Ingredients 2 cups whole milk 4 teaspoons cornstarch 1 1/4 cups heavy cream whipping 2/3 cup sugar 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt 3 tablespoons cream cheese 1½ ounces 1 cup whole dark roasted coffee beans regular or decaffeinated (I used a 50/50 mix) 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped (about 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Stir together ¼ cup of the milk and the 4 teaspoons of corn starch in a small bowl and set it aside. Put the cream cheese in a large bowl and also set it aside.
2. In a medium-large pot (at least 4 quarts), mix together the remaining 1¾ cups of milk, the cream, sugar, syrup and salt. Bring them just to a very low simmer. The mixture should be just starting to bubble at the edges, steamy but not boiling. Take the pot off the heat, add the coffee beans and stir them, cover the pot, and set it aside for 60-90 minutes. At the end of the steeping period, remove the coffee beans with a slotted spoon.
3. Return the pot to the stovetop, bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat and cook the mixture for 4 minutes, stirring or whisking it occasionally. Stir the milk and cornstarch slurry to make sure it is well combined and add it to the steeped milk/cream base. Return the base to a boil and continue cooking it, stirring or whisking frequently, for about 2-3 minutes, until it has thickened enough to coat a spoon well.
4. Add 1-2 ladles of the base (¼ - ½ cup) to the cream cheese and whisk it well, until the mixture is smooth. Initially the mixture may look separated, but with enough elbow grease, whisking quickly the softened cream cheese and the small amount of base will meld into a smooth paste. Then add the rest of the base, stirring to combine it all into a smooth liquid.
5. Place a lot of ice cubes in a large bowl and sit an open gallon-size plastic freezer bag with a ziplock top in among cubes so it stands up. Carefully pour or ladle the base into the bag. Seal the bag, burp out any excess air, and add cold water to the ice cubes to leave bag sitting in an ice bath.
6. Let the base cool down for 10-15 minutes in that ice bath (it must be cool or even cold to the touch on the outside of the plastic bag), then pour and squeeze it from the bag into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions for churning the base. (I say both pour and squeeze because at the beginning it pours, but to get the last bits out you have to squeeze the bag.)
7. About 3-4 minutes before the ice cream is finished churning, add the chopped chocolate in small batches over the course of a minute so that the chocolate becomes dispersed in the base.
8. Transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-proof container and freeze it for a few hours until it sets.

Recipe Notes

Make your chocolate chunks not much bigger than a chocolate chip - mini, regular, or jumbo. They don't change shape of soften in the ice cream:)
Don't forget to chill your ice cream maker base at least 12 hours (preferably 24 hrs) before you make the ice cream. It needs that long to fully chill before you use it.

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