Dark Chocolate Almond Fudge Ribbon Ice Cream

Deep, velvety chocolate ice cream brightened with a touch of espresso and balanced by creamy buttermilk, swirled with a glossy chocolate–almond fudge ribbon that stays silky even when frozen. The result is rich, spoonable, and layered with dark chocolate flavor and fragrant almond.

Ingredients

Chocolate Custard Base

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup sugar, divided
• 5 egg yolks
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp instant espresso powder
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• pinch table salt
• ½ cup cold buttermilk (added after cooking)

Chocolate–Almond Fudge Ribbon

• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process recommended)
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¾–1 tsp almond extract (to taste)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• pinch table salt

Optional Garnish

• Chopped toasted almonds
• Flaky sea salt

Directions

Prepare the Chocolate Custard Base

In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, cocoa powder, ¼ cup sugar, espresso powder, and salt. Warm over medium heat until steaming and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup sugar until thick and pale. Slowly temper with ½ cup of the warm chocolate mixture, whisking constantly, then return everything to the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl, then stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the cold buttermilk. Chill completely, preferably overnight.

Make the Chocolate–Almond Fudge Ribbon

In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, water, and corn syrup. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter, cream, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Let cool completely, then refrigerate until thickened but still pourable.

Churn and Layer

Churn the chilled chocolate custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you transfer it to a container, alternate layers of ice cream and thin ribbons of the fudge sauce. Swirl lightly with a butter knife for a marbled effect without overmixing. Freeze 4–6 hours until firm.

Notes

Preparation

• Chill the fudge ribbon fully before layering; warm sauce will sink instead of ribboning.
• For a deeper chocolate profile, replace 1 tbsp cocoa with 1 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa.
• Increase almond extract up to 1 tsp to intensify almond flavor.

Serving Suggestions

• Top with chopped toasted almonds for crunch.
• Add flaky sea salt for contrast and brightness.
• Serve with biscotti, chocolate cake, or espresso in an affogato.

Variations

• Mocha Almond: Increase espresso powder to 1 tsp.
• Black Forest: Replace almond extract with kirsch; swirl in cherry compote.
• Chocolate–Orange: Add ½ tsp orange zest; replace almond extract with orange extract.

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Refrigerate churn-ready custard up to 48 hours.
• Store churned ice cream up to 1 week for best texture.
• Let stand 5–10 minutes before serving for optimal scoopability.