Make brownies and allow to cool completely before adding to frozen ice cream, meanwhile make the chocolate ice cream batter.
Grab a batter bowl and whisk (or use a hand mixer) together milk, cocoa powder, vanilla until cocoa powder and sugar are dissolved and combined. About 2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream, whip or whisk well, another 2-3 minutes until thickened and no sugar granules can be seen.
Refrigerate ice cream base for 30 minutes or longer, prior to placing it in the ice cream freezer. By allowing it to hang out in the fridge, it will help it freeze faster, greatly improve the texture AND allows the cocoa powder to get to know the milk and the cream.
Before pouring your ice cream base into the ice cream freezer, stir it again one last time -- stir or whisk to ensure everything is mixed well. Then pour into your ice cream freezer and follow the directions on your ice cream machine. Mine takes about 20 minutes.
Take cooled brownies and tear or cut small bites and toss into the bottom of the container, smooth 1/3 of the ice cream over the top, then repeat two more times and smooth ice cream, freeze to firm.
Ice cream straight from the machine is a soft serve texture. For firm, scoopable ice cream, pour soft ice cream into a chilled (I put my container in the freezer while the ice cream maker is on) loaf pan or container. Cover and tuck in the back of your freezer. The longer you let it hang out, the harder it will be, a couple of hours will yield firm edges, soft in the center. Overnight or longer, firm, scoopable ice cream. But who's kidding who, this stuff is fabulous straight from the machine or days later!
Makes a full 2 quarts
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Notes
Mix-In Suggestions
Fudge ripple brownie ice cream | Swirl ribbons of hot fudge sauce (cooled) into the ice cream while layering the brownies. You might want to use a butter knife and gently swirl the ice cream.
Cookies & Cream | Mix In Crushed Oreo (regular, Gluten Free or Golden) in place of the brownies for a delicious cookies and cream chocolate ice cream.
Chocolate Moose Tracks | Stir in mini or chopped up peanut butter cups, a ribbon of fudge sauce and you have fabulous copycat.
Mocha Almond Fudge | Oh yeah! Stir in 2 tablespoons of espresso powder into the chocolate ice cream batter, then once frozen, swirl in hot fudge (cooled) and 1/2 cup of chopped dry roasted almonds.
You can use 2%, 1% milk, it won't be as creamy, but will still set up!Make boxed mix brownies or substitute with storebought. Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream | Yes, make or purchase a box of good GF brownie mix and then follow the rest of the instructions. The chocolate ice cream is already gluten free.