Decadent, smooth, creamy chocolate-hazelnut ice cream made with homemade (or good quality) chocolate-hazelnut spread. An easy, family-friendly recipe that delivers rich nutty chocolate flavour.
After sharing my homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread recipe recently, I had plenty of spread to use up — and turning it into ice cream was the obvious choice. This chocolate-hazelnut ice cream is incredibly indulgent: velvety, deeply chocolatey and with that irresistible nutty note. If you own an ice cream maker, now’s the time to bring it out.
Making ice cream at home is rewarding and more straightforward than it seems. My previous flavour was tiramisu, and this chocolate-hazelnut version sits right up there for deliciousness. It’s creamy, smooth and bursting with nutty chocolate flavour.
Ice cream isn’t just a summer treat — I grew up in Scotland and enjoyed it year-round, and in Italy people happily stroll with cones on cool autumn and winter days. If you’re cosy inside, a scoop of homemade ice cream is always welcome.
Chocolate-hazelnut ice cream recipe
This recipe follows a classic custard base with the chocolate-hazelnut spread folded in at the end. The process becomes quicker the more often you make it, but the basic steps remain the same.
Start by whisking egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick — I do this by hand, but an electric whisk works just as well. Gently bring the cream and milk to the boil (I don’t add vanilla, but you can if you prefer). Slowly pour a little hot milk-and-cream into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the eggs, then continue adding the hot cream gradually while whisking until fully combined.
Tip: Add the hot cream very slowly and keep whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If added too quickly, the eggs will curdle — which you want to avoid when making custard-based ice cream.
Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 7–10 minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate-hazelnut spread until fully melted and incorporated. Use a good-quality spread if you don’t have homemade.
Set the custard aside to cool, then chill thoroughly before churning in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once churned, transfer the ice cream to a freezer-proof container and freeze until firm. The result is a rich, smooth, nutty chocolate ice cream that’s perfect on its own or paired with brownies, warm cake or biscotti.
If you try this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment — I love hearing how your version turned out.
Chocolate hazelnut ice cream
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) full fat milk
- 1 cup (250 ml) cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 2.8 oz (80 g) light brown caster sugar
- 5.2 oz (150 g) hazelnut chocolate spread, good quality
Instructions
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and thick.
- Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan until just boiling. Remove from the heat and slowly add a splash to the egg yolks while whisking, then continue to add the hot cream gradually until combined.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat over low, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 7–10 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate-hazelnut spread until fully incorporated. Set aside to cool.
- Chill the mixture thoroughly, then churn in an ice cream machine following the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze until firm.
Notes
This recipe was developed using metric measurements; imperial measurements are approximate.
Helpful Info
- I typically use extra virgin olive oil in savoury recipes unless noted otherwise.
- Vegetable sizes are medium unless stated otherwise; recipes are tested in convection ovens.
- Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be treated as an approximation.
Nutrition
Calories: 2647 kcal (approximate)
Nutrition information is approximate and automatically calculated.
Leave a comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out!