This is my third time posting David Lebovitz's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe, but it just never disappoints. I have fresh chocolate mint and orange mint in my garden this year. I have always used chocolate mint but I decide to do both this time. I think the mint flavor is stronger, so if you try it, you might want to cut back on the two cups of fresh mint leaves. Normally I am not a big fan of mint or ice cream for that matter, but this recipe is another thing altogether. It has none of the "extract" flavor that store-bought mint ice cream has. This is fresh, grassy, herbaceous deliciousness. If you don't have mint in your garden you can use any fresh mint, but for me there is nothing like the flavor of fresh chocolate mint.
Here is the recipe from www.davidlebovitz.com:
For the mint ice cream:
- 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
- ¾ cup (150 gr) sugar
- 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups packed (80 gr) fresh mint leaves
- 5 large egg yolks
For the chocolate chips:
5 ounces (140 gr) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1. In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream, salt, and mint.
2. Once the mixture is hot and steaming, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for an hour to infuse the mint flavor.
3. Remove the mint with a strainer, then press down with a spatula firmly to extract as much mint flavor and color as possible. (You can also use well-washed hands to do it as well, making sure the mixture isn’t too hot to safely handle.) Once the flavor is squeezed out, discard the mint.
4. Pour the remaining heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer over the top.
5. Rewarm the infused milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then slowly pour some of the warm mint mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.
6. Cook the custard, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. If using an instant read thermometer, it should read around 170ºF (77ºC).
7. Immediately strain the mixture into the cream, then stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool.
8. Refrigerate the mixture thoroughly, preferably overnight, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
While the mixture is freezing, melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a pot of simmering water, or in a microwave oven on low power, stirring until smooth. Place a storage container in the freezer.
9. When the ice cream in the machine is ready, scribble some of the chocolate into the container, then add a layer of the just-churned ice cream to the container. Scribble melted chocolate over the top of the ice cream, then quickly stir it in, breaking up the chocolate into irregular pieces. Continue layering the ice cream, scribbling more chocolate and stirring as you go.
When finished, cover and freeze until firm.
Here is my original post for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream!
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