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Mocha Chip Ice Cream

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BY Ron Guier

PUBLISHED September 2, 2026

Drawing on memories of the tin-can ice cream we used to make in grandma’s Folders Coffee cans, I devised this method of making ice cream using what you can get your hands on in prison.

From Ron's piece, Making Bootleg Ice Cream in Prison.

 

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Mocha Chip Ice Cream

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Units Scale

Ingredients

For the freezer:

  • 5 2–quart pitchers of ice
  • 4–5 cups of salt or rock salt
  • 1 5–gallon garbage can

For the ice cream:

  • 1 Hershey’s extra-large dark chocolate bar
  • 4 French Vanilla single-serve coffee creamers
  • 4 cups milk, divided
  • 8 heaping teaspoons instant coffee
  • 1 pouch instant cheesecake filling powder
  • half of a 15.5-ounce Betty Crocker frosting container

Instructions

  1. Freezer: Combine ice and salt in the garbage can.
  2. Chocolate chunks: Break Hershey’s bar into pieces and add coffee creamers. Microwave for 40 seconds and stir to distribute heated creamer over chocolate. Microwave for 40 seconds more and stir. Repeat as needed until chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
  3. Ice Cream Custard: Pour one cup of milk in a shaker cup and add the instant coffee. Shake until mixed. Pour into mixing bowl. Pour another cup of milk into the shaker cup and add half container of frosting. Shake until mixed and smooth. Pour into the mixing bowl. Add two remaining cups of milk to the mixing bowl along with the cheesecake powder and whisk until custard is well combined. Pour into container(s) you will freeze it in: peanut butter jars, rice or powdered milk bags, or Ziploc bags. Set aside.
  4. With the tip of a teaspoon, take little chunks of the cooled chocolate and drop them in to the custard until chocolate is gone. Seal freezing container(s) and shake to distribute chocolate chunks throughout.
  5. Place container(s) in the freezer to set, which takes about 4 hours.

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