Love the idea of a cup of creamy coffee in your ice cream bowl? We certainly do, and have come up with this custard-based, ultra-rich and smooth coffee ice cream. The creamy custard packs a strong espresso punch, while the chocolate and brownie chunks add a touch of mocha and a fun twist on texture for a truly decadent frozen experience.
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and espresso powder. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; set aside.
Beat together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and xanthan gum until pale yellow and creamy. Gradually whisk in half the hot milk/cream mixture.
Transfer the yolk/milk mixture (custard) to the remaining hot milk/cream in the saucepan. Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring the custard constantly, until it thickens somewhat; it'll be approaching the thickness of heavy cream, and will register about 170°F on a digital thermometer.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the custard to a bowl to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Once the custard has cooled, freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Stir the chocolate chunks and brownie pieces into the soft ice cream and serve immediately.
For firmer ice cream, place soft ice cream in a covered container. Freeze in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, until ice cream is as hard as you like it. Note: Freezing longer than this will make the ice cream rock hard; plan on softening it at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes or so before serving, if it's been in the freezer longer than a few hours.
To keep this ice cream gluten-free, be sure the brownie you use is gluten-free.
