Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

This summer was beautiful in all manner of the word. The weather was warm and sunny, providing endless days for lounging by the pool or lake. Weddings and parties returned in full swing, with the joy of catching up and sharing meals with old (and new!) friends. I only wish the long days and evenings could continue. For while it is still technically summer, the children are in school, the leaves have already started to show their colours, and my morning jogs are now in dark, crisp air. Before I accept the sweater weather and pumpkin spice everything, I will spend this last warm weekend savouring ice cream and popsicle and trying to make pesto out of my garden basil before the frost comes.

I hope you will do the same.

This ice cream recipe was inspired by one of my favourite Haggen Daas flavours. Chocolate and peanut butter are a classic pairing and this ice cream continues that great legacy. It will not disappoint! I used David Lebowitz chocolate recipe as a base, but swirled in a runny peanut butter just after churning, so that it ribboned among the chocolate.

As my son will attest- this recipe is a keeper.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Adapted from David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop

2 cups (500 ml) plus 2 Tbsp heavy cream, divided
3 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 ounces (140g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (150g) sugar
pinch of kosher or sea salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter


Warm 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium sauce pan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 seconds, whisking constantly.

Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scape the warmed egg yolks into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof spatula over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.

Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, add the vanilla, and stir over an ice bath until cooled.

Child the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions (if the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.

While the ice cream is churning, in a small bowl mix the peanut butter with 2 Tbsp of heavy cream. Once churned, pour the ice cream into a freezer friendly container. Add the peanut butter mixture by dropping spoonfulls on top of the chocolate ice cream and swirling it through with a butter knife or stiff spatula.