Häagen-Dazs-style Belgian Chocolate ice cream recipe for Ninja Creami & Ninja Swirl

Directions

• Preparing the chocolate shavings
• Simplified tempering
  Finely chop 40g of Belgian dark chocolate. In a bowl over a bain-marie or in the microwave in 20-second intervals, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil until smooth and fluid. The oil will prevent the chocolate shavings from becoming too hard once frozen—this is the secret to keeping them crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth.
• Creating the wood chips
  Pour the melted chocolate onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a thin layer about 2 to 3 mm thick. Smooth it well with a spatula to obtain an even thickness. Place in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes until the chocolate is firm but still slightly soft to the touch—not completely hard.
• Curl shaping
  Using a vegetable peeler or butter knife, gently scrape the cooled chocolate to create thin shavings and elegant ribbons (the famous signature "chocolate curls"). Work carefully—if the chocolate is too hard, let it soften for 2 to 3 minutes at room temperature. The shavings should curl naturally. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Chop the remaining 15g of chocolate into small, irregular pieces to add textural variety.
• Preparation of the Belgian chocolate base
• Melting of the main chocolate
  Finely chop the 60g of Belgian dark chocolate for the base. In a bowl over a bain-marie or in the microwave (in 20-second intervals, stirring between each), melt the chocolate until smooth, glossy, and perfectly homogeneous. Let it cool slightly—it should remain liquid but no longer be hot to the touch.
• Cocoa mixture and hot liquids
  In a small saucepan, heat 40ml of heavy cream until it just begins to simmer. Immediately pour it over the Dutch process cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk vigorously until you have a smooth, glossy paste without any lumps. This step "awakens" the cocoa and significantly intensifies its flavor—never skip it!
• Warm assembly
  In a high-powered blender, combine the remaining heavy cream (160ml), sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Add the melted and slightly cooled Belgian chocolate, then the prepared cocoa paste. Blend at high speed for 45 seconds until perfectly smooth, homogeneous, and a spectacular deep chocolate brown.
• Filling and freezing
  Pour the chocolate base into your jar Ninja Creami or Ninja Swirl. The color should be a rich, deep brown—this is the sign of real, high-quality chocolate, not a substitute. Smooth the surface, seal tightly with the lid, and place in the freezer on a flat surface for 24 full hours.
• Transformation into ice
• Ice Cream Program
  Remove the container from the freezer, take off the lid, and place it in the outer bowl of your machine. Secure the lid with the paddle and start the program. Ice Cream. The machine will transform the frozen chocolate block into smooth and velvety ice cream.
• Systematic Re-Spin
  Chocolate bases almost always require a Re-Spin Because cocoa absorbs moisture and can create a slightly grainy texture on the first pass. Make a well in the center, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, and start the cycle Re-Spin to achieve that signature Häagen-Dazs velvety texture.
• Incorporation of Belgian wood chips
  This is the step that transforms good chocolate ice cream into spectacular Belgian Chocolate! Make a deep well in the center of the ice cream (go all the way to the bottom), pour about 45 to 50g of your chocolate shavings and chips into this well, then start the program Mix-In. The machine will delicately incorporate the shavings throughout the mass without breaking them completely — you will obtain that perfect distribution of thin chocolate ribbons.
• Royal service
  Enjoy immediately for an ultra-creamy, frozen chocolate mousse-like texture with crunchy shavings, or place back in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes for firmer scoops. Optionally, garnish with a few extra chocolate shavings and a drizzle of cream for a presentation worthy of a Brussels chocolatier.