Do we have any coffee lovers? Or even coffee ice cream lovers? This always amazes me that some people who don’t like coffee love coffee ice cream! But “what’s not to like”, in the words of my Grandma Rose! She had the cutest sayings and I miss her sweetness. I hope that she would like this Espresso & Stracciatella Ice Cream but I’m honestly not sure. Normally, she would have vanilla ice milk (does anyone remember that?) in her freezer. Or for special occasions, Neapolitan ice cream with pretty colored layers.
For lovers of coffee and coffee ice cream
Coffee or coffee flavors of ice cream has been my favorite for such a long time. Being a coffee lover and also loving the taste, it came quite naturally. Another favorite is stracciatella, which we found in the form of gelato in Italy and ice cream in Romania. In Romania, we were served little melon ball scoops piled as high as you wished on a cone or cup. You would simply tell the server how many of the tiny scoops you wanted!
Now, if you are not familiar with stracciatella, it is a chocolate chip type ice cream or gelato. The chocolate is melted and drizzled as the ice cream is churning typically. The drizzle allows for very fine chocolate pieces throughout the ice cream. Generally, I like to use dark chocolate which I first have confirmed is gluten free. The combination of finely ground espresso beans and thin strands of dark chocolate are magical in this Espresso & Stracciatella Ice Cream.
Great choices for gluten free chocolate
When you get ready to make this ice cream, have a good quality gluten free chocolate and a good quality of espresso or coffee beans on hand.
You most likely have heard me talk about some of the gluten free chocolates I keep on hand in my pantry. With Guittard being at the top of the list: the Extra Dark Chocolate Baking Bar or Baking Chips being my favorite. I do have several others I regularly use, including Trader Joe’s 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chips. They are creamy chocolate chips, which I find melt excellently.
For chocolate bars, I use Endangered Species most often. Always check the label for the certified GF insignia, because not all of their bars are gluten free.
One of the bars which is gluten free is their 72% Cocoa Bold & Silky Dark Chocolate. If you want something a little different, you could try their Cocoa Nibs + Dark Chocolate which is also a 72% cocoa, 3 oz. bar. You could also try their Smooth 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate bar, which is pretty delicious to eat or use in baked goods or this ice cream.
Favorite ice cream flavors
This ice cream is such a favorite. Years ago I was a chocolate ice cream fan, with coffee at the top of my list. However, this one satisfies my every desire! Instead of containing brewed coffee or brewed espresso, it contains freshly ground finely ground espresso beans. I guess the title should really be Ground Espresso & Stracciatella Ice Cream. However it just doesn’t sound as good!
If you are more of a traditional flavor ice cream lover, check out our Perfectly Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream.
Enjoy!
~ Laura
Espresso & Stracciatella Ice Cream (Gluten Free)
Equipment
- 1 ice cream machine of your choice such as Cuisanart
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1¾ cups heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste, gf
- 5 oz dark chocolate, gf, melted
- 2 tbsp ground espresso, medium or fine grind
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the sugar, maple syrup and milk. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cream, salt, and vanilla and whisk gently to combine.
- Cover and refirgerate 4-5 hours or overnight.
- Process according to the ice cream manufacturer's instructions. When 5 minutes are remainin on the time, add the melted chocolate in a fine stream. Next add the ground espresso and finish processing.
- Enjoy immediately for a softer ice cream or scoop into small containers and freeze for 2-3 hours for a firmer ice cream. Makes 2 ¼ pints.