Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and visit a classic drugstore soda fountain where the soda jerk would make me an egg cream or a chocolate malt. To satisfy this longing for nostalgia, I like to whip up this Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream. It has a delicious creamy chocolate ice cream base with crushed bits of malt ball to drive home that chocolatey, nutty flavor. If I can't sit at a little ice cream counter, this Whoppers ice cream is the next best thing!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- It's made for chocolate lovers with chocolate in the ice cream base as well as the Whoppers throughout. It really is the best homemade ice cream flavor.
- Even if you love chocolate but aren't a big fan of chocolate ice cream (like me), the malt addition makes this irresistible!
- It uses a classic custard ice cream base so it's super creamy, and once you learn the technique you can use it to make other homemade ice cream flavors as well.
- This delicious recipe an easy summer dessert to have on hand all season long.
- It's just as nostalgic but so much better than chocolate Malt Cups from the gas station!
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Ingredients
- Whole milk
- Heavy whipping cream
- Malted milk powder
- Milk chocolate chips
- Egg yolks
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Chocolate-covered malted milk balls (like Whoppers)
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can easily substitute your favorite chocolate candies, cookies, or nuts in place of the Whoppers.
- For a rocky road version, add mini marshmallows and chopped, toasted pecans.
- This chocolate malt crunch ice cream recipe has a strong malted milk flavor, which I LOVE, but if you want it to be more subtle feel free to cut the measurement in half.
- To make this ice cream more chocolatey and crunchy, add extra malted milk balls or chocolate chips!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Equipment
This chocolate malt ice cream recipe does require an ice cream maker in addition to a few more standard tools.
- Ice cream machine (I have the Kitchenaid ice cream maker that attaches to my stand mixer)
- Fine mesh sieve
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Medium saucepan
Step by Step Instructions
Before getting started on your malted milk ice cream base, be sure to freeze your ice cream maker per its instructions, and place a 9-inch round pan in the freezer.
STEP 1: Place chocolate chips in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy.
STEP 2: In a medium pot, heat whole milk, heavy cream, malt powder, vanilla extract and salt over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling.
Step 3: Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips until just covered, and cover the bowl with a plate for 5 minutes to trap in the heat. In the meantime, temper the egg yolks by pouring ½ cup of the remaining cream mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly so the yolks don't cook. Then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pot of cream, stirring constantly.
Step 4: When the 5 minutes is up, stir the chocolate mixture with a small rubber spatula until smooth.
Step 5: Pour the chocolate into the pot of egg yolk and cream mixture and whisk to combine. Heat the pot on medium-low heat until slightly thickened and almost simmering with a few bubbles around the edges of the pot.
Step 6: Strain the malted chocolate ice cream base through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl. Let it cool and then cover and refrigerate overnight.
Step 7: Set up your ice cream maker. Stir the cold ice cream base, then pour into the ice cream maker and churn chocolate ice cream according to to your model. Add ¾ of the crushed Whoppers for the chocolate malt crunch a few minutes before the ice cream is done churning.
Step 8: Spread ice cream into the frozen 9 inch round pan and sprinkle remaining crushed chocolate covered malt balls on top. Then, cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Expert Tips
Tip #1 - Tempering the egg yolks with a small amount of hot liquid helps ensure your egg yolks don't scramble, so be sure to pour slowly and stir constantly during this step!
Tip #2 - Don't forget to strain the ice cream mixture. There may be a few small clumps of malted milk powder, chocolate, or egg yolks on the bottom so straining it ensures a smooth, creamy ice cream.
Tip #3 - It's very important to make sure your ice cream maker and pan are frozen. This helps the churning process and makes sure your malted milk ball ice cream won't melt when you put it in the pan.
Recipe FAQs
Malted milk powder is an evaporated milk powder typically made with dried, ground barley which gives it a nutty, sweet flavor, characteristic of malted milk balls.
This ice cream recipe uses a custard base which gives the ice cream a rich, creamy flavor and texture.
The ice cream machine helps the mixture freeze slowly and evenly, so it won't have a perfectly smooth and creamy texture without an ice cream maker.
It should produce about 1 quart of ice cream.
Storage
Store in the 9-inch pan covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the freezer for up to 2 weeks or transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Scoop and serve in a waffle cone or your favorite type of cone or dish!
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ice cream machine
- Medium saucepan
- Fine mesh sieve
- 9 inch round cake pan
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Heat-proof mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 4½ ounces milk chocolate chips high quality
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (354.88 ml) whole milk
- 1½ cups (354.88 ml) heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup (84 g) malted milk powder
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- tiny pinch salt
- 1 cup chocolate-covered malted milk balls like Whoppers, crushed
Instructions
Day 1
- Freeze a 9-inch round pan and your ice cream maker according to its instructions.
- Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, cream, malted milk, vanilla extract and salt over medium-low heat until it's just about simmering, not boiling.
- Pour some of the hot mixture over the chocolate chips (just until they're completely covered), then place a plate on top of the bowl to trap the heat for 5 minutes.In the meantime, while stirring constantly, pour about ½ cup of the remaining hot cream mixture into the yolks. Then carefully pour the yolk mixture into the pot of remaining cream, again while constantly stirring.Return to the bowl of chocolate and stir the mixture with a small rubber spatula until it's smooth. While stirring, pour the chocolate mixture into the pot of cream+yolk mixture.
- Continue whisking everything in the pot over medium-low heat until it's thickened very slightly and gently simmering.
- Strain the ice cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium heat-proof bowl and let cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2
- Set up your ice cream machine and whisk the cold ice cream mixture. Pour the mixture into the machine and churn according to its instructions.When the mixture is thick like soft ice cream (time will vary depending on the ice cream machine but it takes me about 30 minutes in my Kitchenaid ice cream attachment), add about ¾ of the crushed malted milk balls and continue churning for 3-5 minutes.
- Spread the ice cream into the cold round pan, sprinkle with the remaining malt balls, cover and freeze overnight.
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Betty says
Way too much work! Keep the chocolate, Whoppers, whipping cream, vanilla and add condensed milk. Whip the whipping cream to soft peaks. Mix the other ingredients together and fold in the whipped cream. I use a large plastic container or can use a 9x5 pan. Pour into the container and put in freezer for 8 hours or overnight. Ta-da no churn ice cream sooo yummy 😋
Kayla Burton says
Thanks for sharing a no-churn version of it, Betty!
Crystal B says
I haven't made this yet, but I've just ordered some malted milk powder so I can make this as soon as it arrives. When I saw this in my Pinterest feed, it literally just made my day!!! I'm not a big chocolate ice cream fan, but this was my favorite Thrify ice cream back in the day. Going to make some mini malt balls and chop up some dark chocolate chunks I have for a less processed option. Beyond excited to have a couple scoops of childhood memories! Thank you!!!
Kayla Burton says
Aw yay that sounds amazing!! It was my favorite, too! I hope you love it! 🙂
Mary says
Hi... would love to try making this but malted milk powder is not readily available where I live.. Can I replace it with maca ?
Kayla Burton says
Hi! I wouldn't recommend replacing the malted milk, as it's important for the ice cream's flavor & texture, but I'd love to hear how it turns out if you try something else!
Jenny says
I made this for Mothers Day dessert (left out the Whoppers) and served with homemade chocolate magic shell. It was incredible. My mom said the ice cream tasted like her childhood! Thank you for a perfect recipe.
Elise says
My son loves malted milk balls, so I thought I’d surprise him with this ice cream when he comes home from college tomorrow. It’s AWESOME!! I can’t wait for him to try it! It’s creamy and has wonderful malted flavor! I bought malted milk balls from a candy store and used those! YUM 😋
Kayla Burton says
This makes me so happy!! I hope he loves it! 🙂
Claire says
First time making ice cream and it was much easier and more rewarding than anticipated. I love malts but never thought about putting malt powder in ice cream. Genius!
Autumn says
I just made this today and it is fantastic!! Thank you!
Kayla says
This makes me so happy!! Thanks for trying it!
Barbara says
I am confused by the directions: it says to “pour the hot mixture over the chocolate chips” then it refers to using 1/2 c of the hot mixture to temper the yolks (the hot chocolate mixture? I thought it was set aside for the chips to melt). Then it instructs to pour the yolks into the remaining cream that’s still in the pots. Wasn’t everything already poured over the chips? Then it says to stir the chocolate mixture till smooth & add it to then cream & yolks in the pot. I believe I should only be using a small portion of the hot milk/cream to melt the chips but I cannot find any instructions to do that. It simply says ‘pour the hot mixture over the chips. . .’
Kayla Burton says
Hi Barbara! I apologize, I can see how this wording is confusing and will update it in the recipe card! Some of the hot cream mixture gets poured over the chocolate chips just until they're covered, and then some of the remaining hot cream mixture gets mixed with the yolks, and then that yolk mixture gets mixed back into the pot of the remaining cream mixture. Please let me know if this helps 🙂 appreciate you bringing this to my attention!
Barbara Decker says
Thanks. Very helpful. I figured that was the best way to proceed & it worked out fine when I made the ice cream.
Kayla Burton says
I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks, Barbara!