Double Decadence
By: Shannon Davidson
Published: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 - 9:10am

Ingredients




9 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
teaspoon Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1  vanilla paste
2 tablespoons Frangelico
8 ounces good quality dark chocolate, melted
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa, sieved
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
8 ounces crème fraîche or sour cream
1 cup roasted hazelnuts, skins removed, coarsely chopped
Maraschino cherries (optional)

Preparation

1 Whisk yolks, sugar, vanilla seeds and Frangelico in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until mixture is tripled in volume, thick and pale and holds a ribbon (4-5 minutes). 2 Remove bowl from heat and continue whisking until cooled (2-3 minutes). Add chocolate and cocoa and mix to combine. 3 In another bowl whisk together cream and crème fraîche until blended. Add to the chocolate mixture. Pour into a container, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. 4 Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker for approximately 20 minutes, it will still be quite soft. Add the chopped hazelnuts right at the end, just until mixed through. Then transfer to an airtight container and put in the freezer to firm up.

About


Knowing my daughter was going to be home from college this past weekend and also knowing that she is pretty over the top regarding anything chocolate, especially dark chocolate. I decided to make a rich dark chocolate ice cream that has, not only one, but two types of dark chocolate. 
The lush, luxurious texture of this dense chocolaty ice cream has a hint of Frangelico liquor as well as some roasted hazelnuts that provide a wonderful crunch. 
Serve a couple scoops of this chocolate decadence drizzled with extra-melted chocolate and top with a maraschino cherry, if you like. 
Enjoy!
Shannon
p.s. 
She went back to school today...the ice cream container is empty.