This creamy, rich blueberry ice cream is filled with chunks of dark chocolate that will melt in your mouth. Oh, my friends, make this. You won’t regret it – and I’m willing to bet that you’ll fall in love with it at first bite. I know I did.
This creamy blueberry ice cream with dark chocolate chunks has been my weakness for the past couple of years. I haven’t been keeping it a secret from you, but up until recently, I haven’t had the recipe. I’m beyond excited to finally be sharing it with you.
When I tell you that this ice cream is absolutely divine, you can take that to the bank. I first tried this ice cream at Rusconi’s American Kitchen when we lived in Arizona.
Rusconi’s has been my favorite date night restaurant, girls’ night restaurant, happy hour, and special occasion destination for a while now – and I still make a reservation for dinner there every single time I’m back in the valley.
The selection of ice cream on their dessert menu varies according to what the chef has made that day and I always cross my fingers that this flavor will be available when we’re there.
Blueberry Ice Cream
The first time we heard about this ice cream, the couple sitting at the table next to us was asking the waiter if there was any blueberry ice cream available. They ordered a pint to take home and then leaned over to us and told us about it.
They grinned at us as they apologized for taking the last of it home with them and told us that we simply had to try it the next time we were at Rusconi’s.
You can bet that this ice cream lover ordered a scoop of blueberry ice cream to try the next time we ate there. I may have sighed with happiness at the first bite, and the second bite, and every bite down to the very last bite.
From then on, this ice cream has been my favorite ending to every meal at Rusconi’s and I am disappointed when it is not available.
Blueberry Chocolate Ice Cream
I’ve made several variations of blueberry ice cream including this Blueberry Gelato and this Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream over the years. They’re both absolutely delicious, but neither one compares with the depth of flavor in Rusconi’s recipe for Blueberry Ice Cream. This ice cream is rich in blueberry flavor and generously filled with chunks of chocolate that will melt in your mouth.
A couple of months ago, when we were packing for our move to Ohio, I finally asked the chef if they might be willing to share the recipe. To say I’ve been a regular at the restaurant doesn’t even cover how loyal I am at this point, and lucky for me, the chef was willing to write out his recipe and share it.
Ice Cream Making Tips
The recipe below has been gently adapted to reflect household proportions versus restaurant levels of production. (I’m sure I could find a way to consume a restaurant level amount of this ice cream, but I’d need an industrial ice cream machine to actually churn it.)
I’ve also changed it slightly to make it a teeny bit more approachable for the home cook. I typically make a Philadelphia-style ice cream without eggs. But this version is worth the extra moments in the kitchen.
That said, I very rarely temper eggs for my ice cream recipes and this variation is foolproof as long as you don’t walk away from the stove. If the ice cream base does happen to curdle a tiny bit, you can strain it through a fine sieve or colander to remove any bits of cooked egg.
I’ve “tested” this recipe 5 times now in my kitchen, just for you – and for my own very happy taste buds. I’m happy to tell you that you can now make Blueberry Ice Cream at home that tastes every bit as delicious as the restaurant’s ice cream. (And even though I now know exactly how it’s made, I still order the ice cream every time I’m in the restaurant. It really is that good.)
There are three simple steps to this recipe. Nothing complicated, but you do need a little bit of time and prep in advance.
You can make this sauce with fresh or with frozen blueberries, so you can enjoy this recipe all year long.
Blueberry Sauce Recipe
- Combine the blueberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Shake or stir the pan as the berries begin to cook.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the berries cook, bursting as they simmer until the mixture is thick and has reduced to about 1 cup’s worth of berry sauce.
I save any remaining sauce for future ice cream toppings, stirring into oatmeal, mixing into frosting, or pouring over pancakes. I recommend making the full amount to be certain you will have enough.
Cooking down just 8 ounces of berries require a very small saucepan and careful watching, so I choose to make extra. Feel free to halve the amount if you prefer not to have any leftover sauce.
The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!
Blueberry Ice Cream Recipe
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
Blueberry Sauce
- blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- sugar
Blueberry Ice Cream
- egg yolks
- sugar
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
- blueberry sauce
Chocolate Chunks
- dark chocolate chips, 60% cocoa or more
- refined (unflavored) coconut oil
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Servings: 6 servings
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Blueberry Sauce
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Combine the blueberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Shake or stir the pan as the berries begin to cook. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the berries cook, bursting as they simmer until the mixture is thick and has reduced to about 1 cup’s worth of berry sauce.
Blueberry Ice Cream
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In a cold medium-size saucepan, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth once more.
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Turn on the heat under the saucepan and set to medium, stirring frequently. As soon as it begins to simmer, continue stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
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This should take about ten minutes. Take care not to overcook. Remove from the heat as soon as the mixture coats the spoon.
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Add ½ cup of the blueberry sauce and stir to combine. Let cool to room temperature before pouring into the ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Chocolate Chunks
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While the ice cream is churning, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small glass bowl. Microwave for 90-120 seconds until softened. Stir to melt.
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Scoop the finished ice cream into an airtight container, drizzling chocolate over each scoop as it is added to the container. Swirl lightly with a knife or the end of a spoon and drizzle any remaining chocolate over the top of the ice cream.
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Cover with lid and place in the freezer until ready to serve.
Calories: 432kcal · Carbohydrates: 59g · Protein: 12g · Fat: 16g · Saturated Fat: 7g · Cholesterol: 457mg · Sodium: 96mg · Potassium: 279mg · Sugar: 59g · Vitamin A: 870IU · Calcium: 253mg · Iron: 1.2mg
originally published 9/13/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/2/24
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