Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Do you have a kitchen vice? Something that, if left in your kitchen, will basically taunt you until you eat it. Something with the tractor beam pull so strong it should feature in the next Spielberg film?

I do.

Hi, my name is Dennis, and I have a problem with ice cream.

If there’s ice cream in my freezer, I eat. All. Of. It. Seriously, it’s hardcore. When my brother and I were kids, we’d devour bowls of ice cream on the daily (thank God for a high metabolism).

Over the past few years though, I’ve become increasingly aware of and concerned about what ingredients are in the food I’m eating. If you can’t pronounce it, chances are you don’t need to eat it. Also, I’ve convinced of this. You can make EVERYTHING at home, and it will taste better than store bought. Every time. Every single freakin time.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of homemade custard, the world of ice cream opens up to you. So many flavours, and you’ll know exactly what your eating.

This was, is, and forever more will be my favourite ice cream. I love most things mint, and all things chocolate, and this is the perfect combo of the 2.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Makes a pint

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

3/4 cup caster sugar

5 large egg yolks

2 cups packed mint leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon maple syrup

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup milk chocolate, chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine your milk, 1 cup of cream, salt, maple, and mint. When the mixture is hot (and the sugar has dissolved), remove from the heat and cover. Let stand for 1 hour.

Remove the mint with a strainer, and squeeze any leftover juices from the mint back into the milk mixture. Toss your mint out (it’s now done it’s delicious and refreshing job).

Pour the remaining cream into a large bowl, with your strainer set over top.

Rewarm the infused milk over medium low. While the milk is warming, place your egg yolks in a bowl, and whisk together. While constantly whisking, slowly add some of your warmed milk to the eggs (about a tablespoon at a time), to temper the eggs. Once you’ve added 4 or 5 tablespoons, whisk in the remaining milk, and place back in your saucepan.

Cook the custard over medium, while constantly stirring with a spatula, until it becomes thick and coats the back of the spatula.

Fill a large bowl with ice. Strain the mixture into your remaining cream, then set over your ice and stir until chilling. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Run the custard through your ice cream, according to manufacturer’s instruction. While the ice cream is doing it’s thing, melt your semi-sweet chocolate.

Pour your frozen ice cream into a  deep, freezer ready dish, and drizzle over your melted chocolate. Stir in the melted chocolate & chocolate chips, cover, and place in the freezer until frozen (about 6 hours).

Adapted from http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/05/mint-chip-ice-cream-recipe-chocolate/