Pierre Herme's Plain Chocolate Ice Cream

Yesterday we tried an ice cream recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme. Pierre Herme is a genius when it comes to chocolate, and this ice cream proved it once again. The ingredient list was very short; with no custard base or cream to distract, the taste of the Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate we used came to the fore. It always surprises me to see how his minimalist approach never fails to yield very rich and satisfying results. (See Pierre Herme's Chocolate Mousse for more of his genius with chocolate.)

1/3 c powdered milk
3 c whole milk
1/3 c sugar
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Place the powdered milk in a saucepan and gradually whisk in the milk. When the powdered milk is dissolved, whisk in the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the chopped chocolate and bring to a boil again. Pull the pan from the heat. Cool the mixture in an ice water bath, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or a little bit cooler.

Churn it in the ice cream maker. When the ice cream is done, put it in a freezer container and freeze for 2 additional hours so that it firms and ripens.

For an exciting variation, just before the ice cream is frozen, add about 2 cups of finely chunked Brownies.