Espresso is naturally bitter. When that same espresso goes into ice cream, the cold dulls the bitterness considerably. That sounds great, but it leads to a common mistake: not enough sugar. We show you how to get the balance right.
The recipe is more straightforward than it looks: first whip the cream to stiff peaks at speed 3.5, then heat the sugar, eggs and milk for 8 minutes at 70°C at speed 3 to make a creme anglaise, blend in the espresso briefly at speed 8, leave everything to cool and fold in the cream at speed 4. Then freeze. Done. The Thermomix® handles the stirring of the creme anglaise without a saucepan and without any risk of scorching.
Espresso Ice Cream with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 6 ✓
- 400 g double cream
- 1 pinch salt
- 150 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 300 g milk
- 200 g espresso
Instructions 0 / 5
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1
Whip the cream.
Rinse the mixing bowl with cold water and insert the butterfly whisk. Add the double cream and salt to the mixing bowl and whip at speed 3.5 until stiff, then set aside. Remove the butterfly whisk.
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2
Heat the egg mixture.
Add the sugar, eggs and milk to the mixing bowl and heat for 8 minutes / 70°C / speed 3.
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3
Add the espresso.
Add the espresso, blend for 5 seconds / speed 8 and then leave to cool.
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4
Fold in the cream.
Add the double cream and fold in for 10 seconds / speed 4.
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5
Freeze.
Churn in an ice cream machine until frozen.
Alternatively, pour into a freezer-safe container, seal and place in the freezer. After one hour, stir vigorously with a whisk. Freeze for at least 4 more hours, stirring every hour.
Tip: Finish your espresso ice cream with a drizzle of coffee liqueur as a sauce.
Nutrition per serving
The espresso makes or breaks it
200 g of espresso sounds like a lot. That is roughly four to five double shots, so a strong coffee concentrate. It is important that you brew the espresso fresh and let it cool completely before blending it in. Hot espresso would warm the creme anglaise too early and ruin the texture. If you do not have a bean-to-cup machine or an espresso machine, strong filter coffee works too. The flavour will be milder, but perfectly fine.
For a stronger bitter note with a crunchy element: roughly crush some chocolate-covered coffee beans and stir them into the mixture just before freezing.
Without an ice cream machine: what actually works
An ice cream machine gives a creamier result because it stirs the mixture continuously as it freezes, preventing large ice crystals from forming. Without one, pour the mixture into a freezer container and stir vigorously with a whisk after one hour. Repeat every hour for a total of five hours. The effort pays off: regularly stirred ice cream stays noticeably creamier than a batch frozen in one go. Skip this step and you will get a firm, rather granita-like result.
Sugar and alternatives
150 g of sugar for 6 servings is the tested amount. If you want to switch to a sweetener: stevia or erythritol both work, but they affect the texture. Erythritol freezes differently from sugar and tends to make the ice cream harder. If you try this, freeze a small test portion separately and check the consistency before freezing the main batch. Plant-based milk also works: almond milk or coconut milk instead of the 300 g of milk are both fine. Coconut milk adds a subtly sweet note that goes well with the espresso.
2 weeks airtight, then 5 minutes to thaw
Stored in an airtight freezer container, the ice cream keeps for up to two weeks. Leave it to thaw for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so it scoops more easily. In the recipe tip you will also find a mention of our coffee cream liqueur: poured as a sauce over the finished ice cream, it is one of the best combinations we know.
For more ice cream made with the Thermomix® have a look at our ice cream recipe collection. If you prefer to browse coffee desserts, Tiramisu made with the Thermomix® pairs beautifully. And for the hot coffee version without any freezing, there is our iced coffee made with the Thermomix®, which is a chilled coffee drink rather than a frozen dessert.
What other recipes do differently
Goes well with: Brownie and Amarettini.
Also works with: Cola ice lollies with the Thermomix®.
We looked at other popular Thermomix® blogs and found a few differences we have deliberately resolved in our own way. Many recipes work with pure double cream plus an egg yolk base, which is rich but also heavy and needs an ice cream machine for real creaminess. Others mix espresso with iced coffee powder and vanilla ice cream and end up closer to an iced coffee than a proper espresso ice cream. We use a strong espresso concentrate so the bitter coffee flavour stays intact, and we include the stirred no-machine method as a summer shortcut. If you like, pour a shot of hot espresso straight over the scoops and you have an instant affogato.
