It is my 30th birthday tomorrow and I’m not particularly happy about it. I just don’t feel grown-up enough to be 30 years old; I still feel like I’m just bumbling through life without a clue what I’m actually doing (but then do you ever actually grow out of that feeling?). I know that “30 is just a number” and “you’re only as old as you feel” blah blah blah etc. etc, but I can’t quite shake the feeling of dread about saying goodbye to my twenties. To commiserate and cheer me up a bit I made a batch of thoroughly un-grown-up ice cream – easy, no-churn M&M’s cookie dough ice cream with chocolate fudge swirl.
There is nothing refined about this ice cream, it is just sheer, unadulterated indulgence; a creamy vanilla base is loaded with chunks of M&M (or chocolate chip) cookie dough and swirls of chocolate fudge sauce. Bliss. The ice cream base is incredibly quick and easy to make, contains only three ingredients and there is no need for an ice cream machine. The cookie dough and chocolate fudge swirl are also both very quick and easy to make, but do need some time in the fridge to chill before whipping up the base, they can both be made a day in advance if required. The trickiest part about making this ice cream is having to wait for it to freeze; your patience will be generously rewarded however as this stuff is seriously, addictively good; definitely good enough to dispel any ageing related grumpiness, at least for a little while.
Annoyingly, it was a really hot day when I photographed the ice cream so I couldn’t get any photos where it wasn’t all melty – it doesn’t actually look as much of a mess as it does here!
Easy, No-Churn M&M's Cookie Dough Ice Cream With Chocolate Fudge Swirl
Ingredients
Chocolate Fudge Sauce:
- 65 g (1/3 cup) sugar
- 50 ml (scant 1/4 cup) golden syrup
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) water
- 35 g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
M&M's Cookie Dough:
- 70 g (5tbsp) butter, melted
- 80 g (1/3 cup + 2tbsp) light brown soft sugar
- 70 g (1/2 cup + 2tbsp) plain flour
- pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 g (3.5 oz) M&M's, roughly chopped (or chocolate chips)
Ice Cream:
- 600 ml (2.5 cups) double or whipping cream (heavy cream)
- 1 400 g can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Fudge Sauce:
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Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small pan until smooth, place over a medium heat and whisk constantly until in comes to a boil; cook for one minute (while whisking) then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Chill in the refrigerator before using.
M&M's Cookie Dough:
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In a mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter and the sugar until smooth then mix in the flour, salt and vanilla extract followed by the M&M's.
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Form the dough into a disc about 1cm thick, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate until firm. Once chilled, either chop the disc into bitesized pieces or break bits off and roll into small balls. Store the cookie dough pieces in the freezer until ready to use.
No-Churn Ice Cream:
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In a large bowl, whisk the cream until soft peaks form then gently fold in the condensed milk and vanilla extract.
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Drizzle some of the chilled chocolate fudge sauce over the base of a large freezer-proof container, dollop over about a third of the ice cream base, scatter over some of the cookie dough pieces and drizzle over some more fudge sauce. Repeat the layering until you have used all of the ice cream base and the cookie dough, you may not need all of the fudge sauce.
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Freeze the ice cream overnight until firm.
I am sharing this with Fiesta Friday hosted by Dad What’s For Dinner and Foodbod, Foodie FriDIY, Foodie Friends Friday and Friday Features
Jessica
Don’t consider it another year older, I always claim that I’m a level higher. Been doing that for years.
hannahhossack
That’s a much better way of looking at things! I’m going to do that from now on 🙂
Maryanne | the little epicurean
This ice cream sounds absolutely delicious. It’s perfect for celebrating 🙂
Happy 30th birthday! I totally feel you on not feeling grown-up enough. I’ll be turning 31 in a few weeks, yet I still feel like I’m 28 (and that’s all matters!) 🙂
hannahhossack
Thanks Maryanne 🙂 And happy birthday in a couple of weeks!
michelle@oblogoff
Happy Birthday!
I saw this @ fiesta Friday and was excited to see a delicious recipe that some would deem not good for you! I say we should all have a chance to indulge here and there! Love it!
hannahhossack
Thanks Michelle! Definitely not good for you but if you can’t indulge on your birthday then when can you?! 🙂
Tori//Gringalicious
This is one summer treat that I know I couldn’t resist! Omg, it’s everything I love put together!!!
hannahhossack
It is a little bit too irresistible… I definitely ate more than my fair share!
Quinn Caudill
Happy birthday and 30 isn’t so bad. I just made my first batch of no churn ice-cream. So easy and so good. Thanks for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday. Happy FF!
hannahhossack
Thank you! Yes I just had a bit of a wobbly moment leading up to my birthday, now that it’s happened I don’t really care any more! I love no-churn ice cream, it is so easy and so adaptable 🙂
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
Wow, how indulgent does that look Hannah, certainly a perfect birthday treat if ever I saw one! You really must have photographed it on only warm day of the month given the weather were having, but I have to say it looks really inviting with it dribbling down the sides as it is 🙂
Happy belated birthday Hannah 🙂
Angela x
hannahhossack
Thanks Angela! The weather has been so miserable, where is summer?! It wasn’t a sunny warm day I photographed it on, just a humid, sticky uncomfortable one… sigh x
Lizzy
holy molyyyyyyyyyyyy. major heart eyes over here.
hannahhossack
Thanks Lizzy!
Anne
YES I NEED THIS ICE CREAM!!! It’s no churn and has hella lot of cookie dough in it so what’s not to like? Plus, that FUDGE SWIRL. Dreams girl, dreams…
hannahhossack
Haha! Thanks Anne 🙂 The more cookie dough the better I say!
Peter
In the very last sentence you mentioned about refrigerating it !!! Is that a mistake or does it need to go to the freezer?
Peter
Refrigerate or freeze the ice cream? on your recipe you say refrigerate and it feels to me that you are mistaking! Can you fix or tell me please?
hannahhossack
Whoops! You are quite right, it’s supposed to be freeze the ice cream. I’ve amended the recipe, thanks for pointing that out!