Délicieuse Glace Au Café

This decadent homemade coffee ice cream brings together rich coffee flavor with a silky smooth texture, creating the perfect summer treat or year-round indulgence. The deep coffee notes shine through a luxurious custard base for an unforgettable dessert experience.

I first created this recipe during a particularly hot summer in Lyon when my café-obsessed family was craving something cool yet still satisfying our coffee addiction. Now it has become our signature dessert whenever we host dinner parties.

Ingredients

• 3 egg yolks providing rich custard texture and golden color
• 100g sugar balancing the coffee bitterness with just the right sweetness
• 300ml heavy cream creating that luxurious mouthfeel every ice cream needs
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch ensuring a perfectly smooth texture without ice crystals
• 400ml milk forming the base while keeping the fat content balanced
• 4 tablespoons instant coffee powder delivering intense coffee flavor throughout
• 50g butter cut into pieces adding an irresistible silky finish
• 1 tablespoon ground coffee beans for authentic aroma and visual appeal

Épingler

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare The Vanilla Base

Whisk together 3 egg yolks and 100g sugar until the mixture becomes pale yellow and fluffy. This crucial step incorporates air and creates the foundation for a smooth texture. Whisk for about 3 minutes until you can see ribbon-like trails when lifting the whisk.

Create The Custard

In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine 300ml heavy cream and 400ml milk. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a little cold milk to prevent lumps. Stir continuously until the mixture begins to release light steam without boiling which takes approximately 5 minutes. This gentle heating develops flavor while preventing curdling.

Infuse Coffee Flavor

Add 4 tablespoons instant coffee to the warm milk mixture stirring until completely dissolved. Watch as the creamy white liquid transforms into a beautiful caramel brown as the coffee gradually releases its rich aroma throughout the base.

Temper And Cook The Custard

Slowly pour the hot coffee cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously to prevent scrambling the eggs. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over low heat stirring constantly until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon about 8 to 10 minutes. Pay attention to the subtle thickening which indicates proper custard development.

Enrich With Butter

Remove from heat and add 50g butter pieces stirring until completely melted. The butter creates a silky richness that elevates this ice cream above ordinary versions giving it that professional quality mouthfeel.

Final Flavor Boost

Gently stir in 1 tablespoon of ground coffee beans which will release additional aromatic oils and provide attractive flecks throughout the finished ice cream. These tiny specks offer bursts of intense coffee flavor in each bite.

Cooling And Maturing

Allow the mixture to cool completely at room temperature then refrigerate for at least 4 hours preferably overnight. This resting period is essential as it allows the coffee flavors to fully develop and marry with the creamy base.

Churning

Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions until thick and creamy approximately 25 minutes. The transformation from liquid to scoopable ice cream is magical to watch as air incorporates and the texture becomes increasingly velvety.

The instant coffee might seem like a shortcut but I discovered it actually provides the most consistent flavor throughout the ice cream. My grandmother taught me this trick after years of experimenting with different brewing methods. The dual coffee approach delivers that perfect balance between convenience and authentic taste.

Serving Suggestions

This coffee ice cream pairs beautifully with warm chocolate brownies or a slice of almond cake. For an elegant dessert serve small scoops in espresso cups with a chocolate covered coffee bean on top. During summer gatherings I love creating affogato by pouring a shot of hot espresso over a scoop creating a delicious contrast of temperatures.

Storage Tips

Store your coffee ice cream in an airtight container with parchment paper pressed directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals. This extra step makes a remarkable difference in maintaining that freshly churned texture. If the ice cream becomes too hard to scoop allow it to soften in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving.

Perfect Variations

For a mocha version add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder along with the coffee. Coffee liqueur enthusiasts can replace 2 tablespoons of milk with Kahlúa for an adult version. Cinnamon lovers should try adding half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to create a Mexican coffee inspired flavor profile that adds warmth and complexity to each spoonful.

Questions Fréquentes

→ Peut-on remplacer le café instantané par du café fort?

Oui, vous pouvez remplacer le café instantané par 100ml de café espresso très fort et réduire légèrement la quantité de lait. Assurez-vous que le café soit bien concentré pour obtenir un arôme intense.

→ Comment obtenir une glace plus crémeuse?

Pour une texture plus crémeuse, vous pouvez augmenter la proportion de crème par rapport au lait ou ajouter une cuillère à soupe de miel qui aide à prévenir la formation de cristaux de glace.

→ Peut-on réaliser cette glace sans sorbetière?

Oui, placez la préparation refroidie dans un contenant hermétique au congélateur et mélangez énergiquement toutes les 30 minutes pendant 3-4 heures pour briser les cristaux de glace. La texture sera légèrement moins onctueuse mais tout aussi délicieuse.

→ Combien de temps peut-on conserver cette glace?

Cette glace au café se conserve jusqu'à 2 semaines dans un contenant hermétique au congélateur. Pour la dégustation, sortez-la 10-15 minutes avant de servir pour qu'elle retrouve sa texture crémeuse.

→ Quelles garnitures accompagnent bien cette glace?

Cette glace s'accompagne parfaitement de copeaux de chocolat noir, d'amandes caramélisées, d'un filet de sauce caramel ou même d'un peu de liqueur de café pour une version adulte plus sophistiquée.