Description
This Ricotta Ice Cream with Chocolate and Orange is a luxurious, creamy dessert combining the rich texture of ricotta cheese with the bright zest of orange and a decadent touch of dark chocolate. The ice cream is infused with orange zest for a refreshing citrus flavor, while the dark chocolate adds a deliciously bittersweet crunch. Perfectly smooth and elegant, this homemade frozen treat is a delightful way to enjoy classic Italian flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Dairy and Eggs
- 250 ml double cream
- 100 ml whole milk
- 240 g ricotta cheese
- 6 egg yolks
Flavorings and Sweeteners
- Zest of 1 orange
- 90 g caster sugar
- 50 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
Instructions
- Infuse flavors: In a medium saucepan, combine the double cream, whole milk, and orange zest. Warm over low heat for one hour to allow the orange zest to infuse and deeply flavor the cream mixture.
- Add ricotta: Whisk the ricotta cheese into the infused cream mixture until smooth and well combined. Heat gently until the mixture is just under boiling, ensuring the ricotta is fully incorporated.
- Mix yolks and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until the mixture becomes pale, smooth, and slightly thickened.
- Combine mixtures: Slowly pour the warm ricotta and cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously. This tempers the eggs and prevents curdling.
- Thicken custard: Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and gently heat while whisking continuously until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon but does not boil to avoid curdling.
- Strain and chill: Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a jug to remove any lumps or zest pieces. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to fully cool and develop flavor.
- Churn ice cream: Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream machine. Churn for about 20 minutes, adding the chopped dark chocolate during the last minute of churning to evenly distribute the chocolate bits throughout the ice cream.
- Freeze: Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm, before serving.
Notes
- Use full-fat ricotta for the creamiest result.
- Ensure the custard does not boil to prevent egg curdling.
- Orange zest infusion enhances citrus flavor without bitterness.
- Add chocolate towards the end of churning to keep chunks intact.
- The ice cream benefits from overnight freezing for optimal texture.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Churning
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: ricotta ice cream, homemade ice cream, orange zest, dark chocolate, Italian dessert, creamy ice cream
