Fudge Ripple Brownie Batter Ice Cream
Made with a dreamy vanilla ice cream, brownie crumbles, and a decadent fudge swirl, this brownie batter ice cream is the perfect treat for the summer!
What is Fudge Ripple Brownie Batter Ice Cream?
The name is self-explanatory, really, but brownie batter ice cream is made from a vanilla ice cream base, a homemade, hot-fudge sauce swirl, and bits of crumbled brownie layered all throughout! Not to brag or anything, but it’s seriously so good.
Ingredients in Brownie Batter Ice Cream
This recipe has three components: the ice cream base, the fudge sauce, and the brownies. It will take more ingredients than your average recipe, but I think it’s worth it!
Since this recipe requires churning, though, you’ll need an ice cream maker. I use this Cuisinart, and it’s never let me down.
For the ice cream, you’ll need:
-
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Sugar
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Brownies
For the fudge ripple:
-
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Semisweet chocolate
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla
For the brownies, feel free to use boxed mix or your favorite brownie recipe!
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of making homemade fudge sauce, I don’t blame you. Feel free to use store-bought hot fudge in its place!
How to Make Brownie Batter Ice Cream
- First, make the crème anglaise (this is just a fancy word for the ice cream base). Start by heating your heavy cream and milk on the stove, then you’ll slowly add the hot milk to your eggs and sugar. After you cook the mixture, it will cool in the fridge until ready to churn.
- Make the fudge ripple. On the stove, you’ll mix together the cream, butter, and sugar until melted, then you’ll add the chocolate, cocoa powder, and vanilla. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so you might have to reheat it later to get a pourable consistency. You can make this ahead of time and reheat it when ready to assemble, or you can use store-bought hot fudge.
- Make the ice cream. After churning the ice cream base, add the brownie crumbles. Layer the ice cream, fudge sauce, and brownie, then let it set in the fridge before digging in!
Tips for Making Fudge Ripple Brownie Ice Cream
- Use a thermometer. The easiest way to tell if your crème anglaise is done cooking is by heating it to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the ice cream base until it coats the back of a spoon. If you run your finger along the back of the spoon, there should be a clean and separate line from where the crème anglaise was.
- Don’t overfill your ice cream maker. The ice cream base will expand as it freezes, so don’t be tempted to overfill the ice cream maker, especially since you’ll be adding brownie crumbles later. If your ice cream maker is small, consider working in batches so your maker won’t overflow.
- Work quickly. Duh, ice cream is cold, so it will melt at room temperature. Once your ice cream is churned, you’ll have to work quickly to layer it and get it frozen to minimize melting.
If you have any questions, let me know! Otherwise, happy ice cream making!
Fudge Ripple Brownie Batter Ice Cream
Made with a dreamy vanilla ice cream, brownie crumbles, and a decadent fudge swirl, this brownie batter ice cream is the perfect treat for the summer!
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Ingredients
For the ice cream base:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- A pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or one vanilla bean)
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½-2 cups prepared brownies (crumbled)
For the fudge ripple (substitute with store-bought hot fudge sauce):
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1 ounce semisweet chocolate (chopped)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the ice cream base. In a large saucepan, stir together the milk, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla. Bring the mixture to a bare simmer over medium heat.
- While the saucepan is on the stove, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl until thick, ribbon-like, and slightly paled.
- Whisking all the while, slowly add several ladles of the hot milk mixture to the eggs. Add the entire egg mixture back to the milk on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture lightly coats the back of a wooden spoon or a thermometer registers 180°F.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve, allow it to cool slightly, then cover it and transfer to chill in the fridge until cold (around 3-4 hours, or overnight).
- Make the fudge ripple, or substitute with store-bought hot fudge. Either the day before or day of churning, make the fudge sauce. Place the cream, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt into a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until melted. Let the mixture simmer for 45 seconds, then add the chocolate.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Place the saucepan onto low heat and stir until glossy, about 20 seconds. Add the vanilla and set aside. You can make the fudge sauce ahead of time and leave it in the fridge; the longer it cools, the thicker it will get, so you may need to reheat it in the microwave or the stove before assembling the ice cream.
- Make the ice cream. Take the ice cream base from the fridge and pour into a prepared ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacterer's instructions, then 5 minutes before ready, add in ½ to ¾ cup of the brownie bits.
- The ice cream should have a soft-serve consistency. Pour a bit of the ice cream (about ⅓) into a loaf pan or ice cream container and smooth it out. Working quickly, top the ice cream with a layer of the fudge ripple and more brownie bits. Continue layering with ice cream, fudge sauce, and brownie. Quickly cover the ice cream and immediately place into the freezer to set for several hours. Once firm, scoop and enjoy!
