Tasting like a cross between a sorbet and an ice cream, this sophisticated dessert will draw gasps of appreciation from your guests, but it’s surprisingly easy to make. It uses strong espresso coffee to give a slight sharpness to the rich, chocolaty base, and as it can be made several days in advance it’s a stress-free option on the night. Use the best quality chocolate you can find, at least 70% cocoa solids.
Ingredients
- 675ml water
- 90g plain dark chocolate
- 5 tablespoons strong espresso coffee, made from freshly-ground coffee beans
- 300g caster sugar
Start by breaking the chocolate into little pieces, then blitzing it with short bursts in a food processor until it looks like very coarse, lumpy powder. Tip it into a saucepan, add 300ml of the water and the coffee and warm over a very low heat, stirring until all the ingredients are fully melted together and combined.
Add the caster sugar and remaining water and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for around ten minutes until it thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before transferring to an ice cream maker. Churn until slushy, then transfer to a chilled bowl and freeze for several hours. If making this dessert beforehand, it will need to soften slightly before serving. Don’t be tempted to make it more than a week in advance, though, as it may granulate and lose its smooth, creamy texture.
Serve in glass dishes, decorated with chocolate-covered coffee beans.
For a wide range of top quality coffee beans, suitable for all uses, please visit our coffee beans page at the Wholesale Coffee Company website. We also stock a range of flavoured syrups and other coffee ingredients, perfect for making coffee drinks or for using in recipes.