Serves a Crowd

Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream Cake

May  4, 2021
3.6
8 Ratings
Photo by Yossy Arefi
  • Serves 10 to 12
Author Notes

For this decadent treat, Alice Medrich's rich and chewy nibby brownies are topped with coffee ice cream and a billowy layer of no-churn sweet cream ice cream. —Yossy Arefi

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • NIbby Brownies & Coffee Ice Cream
  • FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER
  • 8 ounces bitterweet chocolate, chopped
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup plus one tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cacao nibs
  • FOR THE COFFEE ICE CREAM LAYER
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup coffee beans, coarsely ground
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
  • Pinch salt
  • No-Churn Ice Cream
  • 14 ounces can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • Pinch salt
Directions
  1. FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER: Preheat oven to 350º F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the bottom and sides generously
  2. Put the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Let cool.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is lighter in color, about 3 minutes.
  4. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whisk to combine, then fold in the flour and 2 tablespoons of the cacao nibs. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the rest of the nibs.
  5. Slide your pan into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean, 25 to 30 min. Cool completely, then remove the outside of the springform pan and slice the brownie round in half horizontally. I find the brownies are easiest to slice after a few minutes in the refrigerator. Leave the bottom half of the brownies in the pan and put the outside of the springform pan back in place. Break the top layer of brownie into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Then prepare the coffee ice cream.
  6. FOR THE COFFEE ICE CREAM LAYER: Heat 1 cup of heavy cream to just below simmering, turn off heat, add the coffee beans, and let steep for 5 minutes. Drain the mixture through a coffee filter and transfer it to a bowl with a strainer set over it.
  7. Combine the milk, remaining heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, being careful to not let the mixture boil. Stir often, and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture over the coffee-infused cream and stir to combine. Add in the coffee liqueur if using. Chill over an ice bath (or for a few hours in the fridge).
  8. When completely chilled, churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spread the soft ice cream mixture over the trimmed brownie layer still in the pan. You want to fill the pan so it is about halfway full, which means you will probably have a bit of extra ice cream leftover; freeze it in an airtight container to enjoy later. Top the coffee ice cream with the broken brownie pieces. Put the pan in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the sweet cream ice cream
  9. FOR THE NO-CHURN ICE CREAM LAYER: Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, bourbon, and salt together in a large bowl.
  10. In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Then gently fold it into the condensed milk mixture.
  11. Top the coffee ice cream and brownies with the sweet cream mixture (you may have a bit leftover) and freeze overnight before slicing. Just before serving, sprinkle with a few teaspoons of cacao nibs and top the slices with chocolate sauce. I like this Magic Shell (http://food52.com/recipes/22873-magic-shell) with a pinch of salt. Enjoy!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Michelle de Lima
    Michelle de Lima
  • Midi Shaw
    Midi Shaw
  • Kt4
    Kt4
  • Emma Wartzman
    Emma Wartzman
  • Yossy Arefi
    Yossy Arefi
Yossy Arefi is a photographer and stylist with a passion for food. During her stint working in restaurant kitchens, Yossy started the blog Apt. 2B Baking Co. where, with her trusty Pentax film camera, she photographs and writes about seasonal desserts and preserves. She currently lives in Brooklyn but will always love her native city of Seattle. Follow her work at apt2bbakingco.blogspot.com & yossyarefi.com.

11 Reviews

Joyful December 2, 2023
At first attempt, I didnt allow time for melted butter/chocolate to cool before adding to brownie mixture. Resulted in the brownie not setting in the center. Once I allowed it to cool, the brownie turned out perfectly.
This dessert served to wow my Thanksgiving guests, friends and family.
I agree more technique. Now that I am familiar with techniques, I can make it over and over for continued success. Thank you. Grateful.
 
Michelle D. March 2, 2015
Do you think this would work well with Alice's cocoa brownies?
 
Sonjia July 27, 2014
Can I use coffee syrup to replace the coffee liqueur? Thanks.
 
Tanya September 25, 2013
So what is the exact quantity of coffee ice cream needed?
 
Midi S. September 10, 2013
Just made this. There's more technique here than meets the eye. First of all, as soon as I spread the coffee ice cream on the completely cooled brownie, my spring form pan began leaking melted ice cream. I had to wrap the pan up in aluminum foil. Then, after the whole thing had been frozen for several hours, I had a really hard time getting the springform pan open. Then, it was a race against the clock to slice, serve, and wrap it up so I could put it back in the freezer...trying to cut through the rock hard frozen brownie didn't facilitate things...before the ice ceam started melting.

The coffee ice cream is delicious. The no churn ice cream is good too, great texture with an egg nogginess from the bourbon. The brownie...eh...it felt more like a solid block of chocolate than a brownie. Next time, I would replace the brownie with a cake...
 
thecitygourmand September 6, 2013
So glad it's warming up here in Australia!
 
hswife August 24, 2013
I don't see the recipe for the coffee ice cream on here...help me! ;)
 
hswife August 24, 2013
Oops - never mind - found it.
 
Kt4 August 23, 2013
can i do the 1st layer of ice cream without an ice cream maker?
 
Yossy A. August 24, 2013
That recipe is meant to be churned, but you can double the no churn recipe and layer it with the brownie bits if you don't have an ice cream machine.
 
Emma W. August 23, 2013
Thank you for including a way to do this without an ice-cream maker! Looks amazing