Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Ice Cream: creamy, strong coffee ice cream studded with crunchy chunks of Heath toffee bar. Big treat if you’re a coffee lover like me!
This Rhode Island born girl has always had a fascination for all things coffee. I was recently telling a friend about Autocrat coffee syrup from Lincoln, RI . He’d never even heard of Autocrat coffee syrup.
Excuse me? And whaaaaattt????
Yep. Coffee syrup is definitely a Rhode Island thang. And in Rhode Island, we actually grew up drinking coffee milk instead of chocolate milk. Go figure. You should give it a whirl sometime.
So the first time I tried Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Ice Cream I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Creamy, strong coffee ice cream studded with crunchy Heath Bar chunks. Definitely a match made in heaven.
And here’s a funny excerpt from the Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book about how Jerry prepared toffee pieces for Coffee Heath Ice Cream back in the old days:
Says Jerry:
“Since Ben had been experimenting with candy and ice cream combinations from the age of five, I was not surprised when he suggested we try an ice cream with Heath Bars. The concept was good – it was the execution that challenged us.
We started buying individual bars, and it became my job to cut them, two at a time, into thirds. I chopped away on a plastic cutting board, using a grid as my guideline. As the demand for the flavor grew, we began buying the bars in twenty pound boxes. At first, I continued to cut each one by hand, the old fashioned way.
Then one day, out of sheer frustration at spending the better part of my life chopping Heath Bars, I threw a box down onto the floor, shattering the bars inside. That worked pretty well, both for the candy and my frustration. Next we tried smashing the box with a plastic mallet. Finally, though trial and error, we discovered that a frozen twenty pound box of Heath Bars dropped from a six foot stepladder cracked to the perfect size.”
Genius.
We always enjoy visiting the Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury, Vermont. This is my friend Tracy and me impersonating Ben & Jerry. Who’s Ben and who’s Jerry? I don’t know, I’m just bummed she got the waffle cone!
Sure hope you enjoy this ice cream and have fun making it too!
Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 - 1.4 ounce ounce Heath bars
- 4 large pasteurized eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 cups heavy or whipping cream
- 2 cups milk
- 6 tablespoons good quality freeze-dried coffee
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, cut the candy bars into 1/2 to 1 inch chunks.
- This should give you about two cups.
- Place the Heath Bar chunks in a bowl, cover and freeze.
- Separately, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar a little at a time.
- Continue whisking until completely blended, about a minute more.
- Add the cream, milk, and 4 tablespoons of the coffee and whisk until just blended.
- Optional: Chill ice cream mixture in the refrigerator until very cold, several hours.
- Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.
- After the ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it's done), add the candy and remaining 2 tablespoons coffee.
- Continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.
- Serve immediately soft, or freeze 6- 8 hours until hardened
Notes
Mix cream and milk together in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, separately, whisk eggs in medium mixing bowl ’til light and fluffy.
Slowly whisk the sugar into the egg mixture, a little at a time until it’s thoroughly combined, then 1-2 minutes more.
When the cream/milk mixture reaches 140°, remove from heat.
Very slowly add in about 1/3 of the hot cream/milk mixture to the egg/sugar mixture, whisking quickly the whole time ’til blended.
(This “tempers” the eggs so they don’t scramble when added.)
Once thoroughly blended, add in the remaining cream/milk mixture.
Return custard to sauce pan and heat on medium low heat until the mixture reaches 175°.
(This kills off any harmful bacteria.)
Chill throughly until mixture is a minimum of 40°.
(You want it very cold so it freezes well in the ice cream maker.)
Freeze in ice cream maker following manufacturer's directions.
You may also enjoy: Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
Melissa says
I wish there was a way I could reach through my screen and snag some of this! My mouth is watering. I too have never heard of coffee syrup. I guess I need to crawl out from under my rock. Yummy!
Debra Lynch Burchell says
These look wonderful, all my great flavors.. Wanting one right now.
cristina says
So cute what you did inserting your faces in the lid cover of the Ben & Jerry ice cream lid! 😉 Luv what you’ve done here with the Heath bars in this ice cream…a version of a mud pie may be in order with this delicious creation!!
Allie says
Did somebody say Mud Pie? That would be so amazing with this ice cream. So don’t be surprised when you see it on the blog….and we’ll have you to thank Cristina ….:)
anna@icyvioletskitchen says
omg the picture of that ice cream cone is killing me. KILLING ME!!
Emanuele @ guyslovecooking says
I also never heard of Autocrat, but again. I am a simple European 🙂
I don’t like chocolate milk, so probably I am must have lived in Rhode Island in my previous life, or maybe I will in my next one. Because I like coffee milk!!
This is recipe is naughty as naughty can be. But it feels so good to be bad!
Allie says
It is pretty naughty isn’t it….Maybe you should visit Rhode Island some day. It’s a beautiful state with lots of coastline and beaches.
Catherine says
Dear Allie, coffee, heath bars, ice cream- this is the perfect dessert! I would love to visit the Ben & Jerry’s Factory. That sounds like so much fun. xo, Catherine
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour0 says
That story is hilarious! I love how cheeky Ben and Jerry are! And as a coffee fiend, I whole-heartedly approve of this recipe!
Allie says
Cheeky is the perfect word Kim! 🙂
Robert Bristow says
Do u cook the eggs at all. I’d be worried for my kiddos if they weren’t. Maybe prepare like a custard?
Allie says
Hey Robert, great point and thanks so much for dropping by. The Ben & Jerry’s ice cream book was published before all the big salmonella outbreaks. I have adapted several of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream recipes here on the blog, but need to finish updating all of them, including this one. Here’s an example of one I adapted, and yes, it’s just like cooking a custard. Here’s the recipe: http://throughherlookingglass.com/sugared-pecan-pumpkin-ice-cream/ and here is my adaptation that should work well for this recipe:
Mix cream and milk together in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, separately, whisk eggs in medium mixing bowl ’til light and fluffy.
Slowly whisk the sugar into the egg mixture, a little at a time until it’s thoroughly combined, then 1-2 minutes more.
When the cream/milk mixture reaches 140°, remove from heat.
Very slowly add in about ⅓ of the hot cream/milk mixture to the egg/sugar mixture, whisking quickly the whole time ’til blended. (This “tempers” the eggs so they don’t scramble when added.)
Once thoroughly blended, add in the remaining cream/milk mixture.
Return custard to sauce pan and heat on medium low heat until the mixture reaches 175°. (This kills off any harmful bacteria.)
Chill throughly until mixture is a minimum of 40°. (You want it very cold so it freezes well in the ice cream maker.)
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
Ohmegawsh! I’ve never heard of Autocrat coffee syrup – nor have I ever heard of coffee milk!!! Gosh I learned so much today – I would have so loved coffee milk when I was younger – it would have saved me from sneaking sips of my parents coffee!
And as for this ice cream – Allie – it’s just torturous to visit your blog with a measly granola bar or yogurt in hand! I wish I had ice cream for breakfast instead – it has eggs in it after all right?!
Robin @ Simply Southern Baking says
Goodness gracious! This ice cream looks amazing. I wanted to jump through my screen to get it. 🙂
Linda Jenkins says
Allie, love this story about a quick and easy way to achieve the necessary size pieces of his delicious ice cream. Also enjoy the fact that the simplest experiences turn out to be the material for entertaining stories. Picture of you and Tracy is adorable. I love that you can see the humor and the goodness in even the smallest of situations. Love the stories and recipes. Please keep them coming. Love and prayers to all.
Mike Dennehy says
Have I told you my story on this???? So when I went through my “troubles” 3 years ago and lost 30 pounds I discovered B&J Coffee Heath Bar Crunch and I ate a pint 5 days a week! It basically was the only food I ate. My diet started to return and I continued to eat about 2-3 pints a week and then the worst of the worst happened – they took out the Heath Bars!!!! And they put a generic toffee bar in there and I couldn’t stand the taste of it anymore. I have since changed over to Friendly’s Vienna Mocha Chip – which is a great substitute. But I am going to try this recipe FOR SURE!!!!!!
Allie says
I’ve NOT heard this story Mike, or of the “troubles”. Very sorry to hear of them. And also the switch out of the Heath Bars. What a crock. That’s because Ben & Jerry aren’t at the helm anymore. The would never have put up with that. We should start a petition or something. (Or just make our own Heath ice-cream .) Will have to try the Vienna Mocha Chip at our house….wish I could eat a pint 5 days a week. But I wouldn’t fit in my jeans, maybe even my house.
Olivia @ livforcake says
This is the second time Heath Bars have come up un conversation this week and I’ve still never had one. I don’t think they have them in Canada! This ice cream looks and sounds delicious. Love coffee flavoured almost anything!
Allie says
Oh yes, you absolutely must try a Heath bar!
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch is my absolute favorite ice cream now that I can’t find Starbuck’s Java Chip. (Java Chip was the only thing Starbuck’s ever did that was worth the price IMHO.) Love the idea of making this at home – just not sure that if I bought a bunch of Heath Bars, they would make it into the ice cream:)
Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks says
My boyfriend is a true ice cream lover/devotee, but I’ve yet to make him ice cream. I’ll have to give this a try one day!
Allie says
Oh yes, then you must make this for him Dani. It’s a very easy recipe and he will love it!
Christy Smith says
This tasty treat is right up my dessert alley! We even have an ice cream maker to put into action. My favorite B & J’s flavor. In fact, B & J’s ice cream is so tempting to me I had to make a pact with myself that I would only eat it in VT (thankfully we head there in 2 weeks so my B & J fast will be o-v-e-r soon). However, I think I can safely add this recipe to our Must Do This Summer list since we would not technically be purchasing a carton from the store…..right? Your recipe has inspired…
Allie says
Yes, your Must Do This Summer list is perfect Christy! XO
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
You had me at Ben & Jerry’s. I love their ice cream!! I need to try this. Like YESTERDAY!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
This looks insanely good and I want to eat it through the screen. I would LOVE to go to the Ben and Jerry’s factory, but I think I would come out about 100lbs heavier haha.
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
This sounds like my kind of ice cream! All my favorite flavors!
Rosemary says
Ok, Allie! At the rate you’re putting up delicious recipes for summer desserts, I’m going to gain back the 20 pounds I lost last year! Kevin can’t resist trying this new ice cream flavor! Especially since the Chocolate Cherry Garcia is so delicious, we’ve made it twice!
Karla @SmallTownRambler says
Ice cream, chocolate, coffee…all my weaknesses!!! I already know I would love this!
GiGi Eats says
NOM times 1 MILLION!!!!!! I WISH WISH WISH I COULD eat this! Oh man do I ever!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
OMG! This sounds fantastic! i actually do not like coffee to drink…but as a flavor, like in this ice cream, I’m all over it!
Tracy says
I am so glad I found this piece! Things have been crazy this month so I have missed some. I was catching up. Glad I saw this. Number one, this is one of my favorite flavors too. Number two, my husband loves coffe milk so I must buy some of that coffee syrup. Thank you for the brand name:) Number three
I am in the piece! Ha! I love this picture of us and never noticed that I had the waffle cone. Thank you again for a wonderful recipe ?
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kithcen says
BEN & JERRY’S COFFEE ICE CREAM? Yes please! 🙂 Chocolate and coffee in an ice cream, what else could I ask for. Sounds like my kind of treat and I want this for my lunch today. May I? 🙂 Love the idea of making this at home.
Allie says
Sounds like a great idea Anu – this for LUNCH!!!
Aunt Pinkie says
Looks absolutely fabulous!What could be a better combination than coffee and Heath bars!
Allie says
I know!!!! 🙂
Molly says
Mmmmmmm we just ( fairly) recently went down to Vermont and went there… Now I am partially regretting what I chose then??this sounds AMAZING! And I would love to try it!!
Allie says
I hope we can enjoy this ice cream together someday, Molly!
Brittany says
My fiancé just bought me a Kitchen Aide mixer for Christmas as well as the ice cream making attachment! The first recipe I looked up was Coffee Heath Bar. It is my all time favorite ice cream flavor and I’ve wanted to make my own ever since Ben & Jerry’s changed their recipe (It’s just not the same anymore!!). This is so close to their original recipe! I added a caramel swirl to mine too…because why not? Thanks so much for the recipe!
Allie says
How awesome Brittany. Your fiancé is obviously a keeper. Yay on the Kitchen Aid and the caramel swirl. Yep, I agree – their Coffee Heath Bar is not the same. Glad we can still have it anyway. Thanks so much for dropping by!
Anu says
What is freeze dried coffee? Where can I find it? What coffee do u recommend using? Thanks recipe looks delicious
Allie says
Hi Anu – Just seeing this now. Freeze dried coffee is basically instant coffee. You can get it in the U.S. in the coffee section at your grocery store. Even Starbucks has a line of instant coffee. I hope you can find it and that you love this ice cream. It’s so yummy.