1. Prepare the Custard Base:

• Gather all your ingredients. Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside. Have a medium, heatproof bowl (preferably one that can be set in an ice bath later) ready for chilling the custard.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking or stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and cocoa powder and prevent scorching. Do not bring to a rapid boil.

2. Temper the Egg Yolks:

• Once the milk mixture is hot and simmering gently, remove it temporarily from the heat.
• Very slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the bowl with the lightly beaten egg yolks, whisking the yolks constantly as you pour. This gradual addition of hot liquid is called tempering, and it prevents the egg yolks from scrambling.
• Once the first 1/2 cup is whisked in, gradually whisk the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.

3. Cook the Custard:

• Return the saucepan to medium-low heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula (scraping the bottom to prevent sticking), until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. If you draw a line with your finger across the spoon, the line should hold. This can take several minutes. Do not let the mixture boil, or the eggs may curdle.

4. Melt in Chocolate:

• Remove the thickened custard from the heat immediately.
• Add the finely chopped semisweet chocolate to the hot custard. Stir gently and continuously until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

5. Chill the Custard Base Thoroughly:

• Pour the hot chocolate custard mixture into the chilled heatproof bowl you set aside earlier (or place the bowl you poured it into over an ice bath to speed cooling).
• Let it cool at room temperature for a bit, then cover the surface directly with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate until completely cold. This usually takes at least 2 hours, but longer (4-6 hours or overnight) is even better. Stir the custard occasionally as it chills in the fridge if you’re not using an ice bath. The base must be very cold before churning.

6. Finish Base and Churn:

• Once the chocolate custard base is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the refrigerator.
• Stir in the 2 cups of chilled heavy cream and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until well combined.
• Pour this final ice cream base mixture into the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker.
• Churn according to the manufacturer’s directions for your specific machine, typically for 20-30 minutes, or until the ice cream is thickened, creamy, and has increased in volume (resembling soft-serve).

7. Freeze Solid:

• Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container with a lid.
• Cover and place in the freezer for at least 2-4 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
• Serve scoops of your Very Chocolate Ice Cream and enjoy!