Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins + Blueberry-Vanilla Ice Cream

I wanted ice cream for breakfast, but then decided to make a sandwich out of it with a chocolate-chocolate chip muffin…

….then I added some salted caramel (just a little bit…)

Did I forget to mention how delicious it was? No wonder I was so happy today….

The chocolate-chocolate chip muffins would be amazing on their own as well – the center moist with bits of chocolate chips…heavenly…

**Featured as one of the top favorites by Yahoo Food for their #icecreamnation Instagram pictures in honor of National Ice Cream Week.

Ingredients:

For Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 12 muffins):

• 3/4 cup Valrhona 60% unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon 100% pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped Gherardelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate Chips, divided

For Blueberry-Vanilla Ice Cream:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream, divided (if you prefer a less creamy texture, use 1 cup heavy cream first and then in the final step substitute with heavy whipping cream or half and half)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon King Arthur Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons store bought blueberry compote or jam (I recommend the compote for the blueberry texture)

Directions:

For Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 12 muffins):

• Pre-heat oven to 350F degrees and line 12-muffin pan with liners.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt and set on the side.
• In a mixing bowl (for standing mixer), first hand whisk cocoa powder and baking powder together and well-combined.
• Add hot water to cocoa powder mixture and stir well with wooden spoon.
• Add melted butter and vanilla extract to mixture.
• Add sugar and continue to stir until thoroughly combined and set into standing mixer.
• Use whisk attachment for standing mixer and on low speed, add the flour and salt mixture to the chocolate mixture.
• Keep mixing until just combined and then add 1 cup of chopped chocolate chips (Tip: I use a food processor to chop up the chocolate chips into smaller pieces, but regular size or mini chocolate chips would be great as well).
• Use an ice cream scoop and fill each muffin tin with batter until it is almost full (95-98% full).
• Use the other cup of chopped chocolate chips and sprinkle over all on the top of the muffin batter.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes.
• Once out of oven, allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before removing them from the pan and onto a cooling rack.

For Blueberry-Vanilla Ice Cream:

1. In medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, 1 cup heavy cream and salt on low heat.
2. Continuously stir until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Scrap vanilla bean, add the vanilla bean stalk and bourbon vanilla extract to mixture.
4. Stir thoroughly and remove from heat.
5. Set milk and cream mixture aside at room temperature for 30 minutes (this step allows the mixture to cool down so it does not cook the egg yolks when combining them together).
6. In a large bowl, pour the other 1 cup heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream/half and half) and place a fine mesh sleeve on top.
7.  In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together.
8. While continuously whisking egg yolks, pour milk and cream mixture into the bowl and continue to whisk until combined.
9. Pour egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and turn stove on to medium heat temperature.
10. Continuously stir the mixture until the instant read thermometer temperature reads 180 degrees and mixture will thicken (will coat the back of spatula).
11. Pour custard through the fine mesh sleeve into the large bowl with other part of heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream/half and half) at the bottom of the bowl.
12. Place vanilla bean stalk into the mixture and add pure vanilla extract.
13. Stir well and set aside for mixture to cool to room temperature.
14. Once cooled, place mixture into refrigerator for at least 8 hours through overnight.
15. When ready to churn ice cream, remove the vanilla bean stalks and follow instructions from ice cream maker manufacturer (generally 15-20 minutes in the ice cream maker).
    1. Ice cream will appear more like soft serve after it goes through the ice cream maker.
16. Pour blueberry compote into mixture and churn for a few seconds (for the blueberry marbling, otherwise, it will be fully combined) or add more if desired (you can always add more on top of the ice cream as well!!).
17. Pour ice cream mixture into freezer-safe container to freeze the mixture to become a harder ice cream texture.
18. Store in freezer for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

Assemble:

• Need about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of salted caramel (or as much as you desire…).
• Peel off foil from muffin.
• Use serrated knife and cut off the top of the muffin.
• Place bottom half on serving plate.
• Pour salted caramel on top and then scoop desired amount of blueberry-vanilla ice cream and place on top.
  • For homemade salted caramel – see recipe.
• Finish with muffin-top (and consider adding some whip cream too)

Enjoy!

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe adapted from food.com