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Chocolate Sorbet

Recipe adapted from The Perfect Scoop Technically the recipe below is a sherbet since there's milk, but it sounds more appealing to use the word sorbet. So feel free to use either water or milk. You can use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder, using a brand that you like. (I like Valrhona Dutch-process cocoa but any brand will do.) Since much of the flavor depends on the quality of the cocoa powder, use a top-quality brand that you like. A little shot of coffee-flavored liqueur augments the taste and gives the sherbet a more scoop-able texture. Feel free to use another liqueur, or omit it. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, check out my post: How to Make Ice Cream Without a Machine.
  • 2 1/4 cups (550ml) milk or water, (you can use whole, low, or non-fat)
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • optional: 2 tablespoons coffee-flavoured liqueur, such as Kahluà
  • In a medium-sized saucepan, warm 1 1/4 cups of the milk or water with the sugar, salt, and cocoa powder.
  • Bring to a full boil while whisking, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 seconds.
  • Remove from heat and add the chocolate, the vanilla, and the coffee-flavored liqueur, if using. Stir in the remaining 1 cup milk.
  • Taste, and if the mixture is a bit grainy, puree it in a blender to smooth it out.
  • Chill thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Notes

Note: This would likely work with non-dairy milk, but be sure to use one that can stand up to being boiled.