Prepare Hot Fudge Sauce, if desired. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium saucepan combine eggs and milk. Stir in sugar, cocoa powder, and coffee crystals. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture coats a metal spoon (about 5 minutes). Stir in half-and-half or light cream. Cool.

Freeze in 4- to 5-quart ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions. Remove ice cream paddle. Stir in 1 cup of the Hot Fudge Sauce or the ice cream topping just until swirled.

Serve with additional Hot Fudge Sauce, if desired. Makes about 3 quarts (24 servings).

In a small saucepan melt 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate and 1/4 cup butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder until nearly smooth. Stir in one 5-ounce can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk. Heat and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Homemade ice cream tastes better and melts more slowly if it is ripened before serving. To ripen ice cream in a traditional-style ice-cream freezer, after churning, remove the lid and dasher and cover the top of freezer can with waxed paper or foil. Plug the hole in the lid with a small piece of cloth; replace the lid. Pack the outer freezer bucket with enough ice and rock salt to cover the top of the freezer can, using 4 cups ice to 1 cup salt. Ripen about 4 hours. When using an ice-cream freezer with an insulated can, after churning, remove dasher; replace lid. Cover the lid with ice and cover with a towel. Ripen about 4 hours.

Prepare ice cream; transfer to freezer container. Seal,label, and freeze up to 2 weeks.