Malted Milk Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

Warm dairy and dry ingredients

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the whole milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth and free of lumps. Place over medium heat and warm the mixture, stirring frequently, until it is hot and begins to steam but does not boil (small bubbles may form around the edges), about 5–7 minutes.

Melt chocolate

Remove the pan from heat. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is homogeneous. Return to very low heat if necessary briefly, then remove from heat.

Temper the egg yolks

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot chocolate-milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. Continue adding hot liquid, a little at a time, until about one-third of the hot milk mixture has been incorporated into the yolks.

Cook custard

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk-chocolate mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spatula (an instant-read thermometer should read 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

Add malt and finish

Remove the custard from the heat. Stir in the malted milk powder, remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Whisk until the malt powder is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth. If you notice any small bits or graininess from the malt powder, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to ensure a silky texture.

Chill

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin. Refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. For faster cooling, place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally until cooled, then refrigerate.

Prepare ice cream maker

When the custard is thoroughly chilled, stir it once to recombine. If you strained it earlier, give it a gentle stir. Set up your ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions and ensure the bowl is frozen if required by your machine.

Churn

Pour the chilled malted chocolate custard into the ice cream maker and churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, about 20–30 minutes depending on your machine.

Fold in mix-ins (optional)

If using crushed malted milk balls, fold them gently into the churned ice cream. Reserve a few tablespoons to sprinkle between layers if you plan to ripple them through for texture.

Hardening

Transfer the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, smoothing the top. If you reserved extra crushed malted balls, sprinkle and gently press them into the surface. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Serve

Before serving, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes to soften slightly for easier scooping. Scoop into bowls or cones and finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt flakes if desired.