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Mint Chip Ice Cream

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop (Ten Speed Press)
The bright taste of fresh mint is marvelous with the little bits of bittersweet chocolate. If you are unsure of the quantity of mint leaves, weigh them to the get the exact amount. I just stuck a few mint springs in my rooftop garden box and within a week, they took root and are thriving nicely. It’s not enough to make a batch of mint ice cream quite yet, so for now, I’m buying my mint at the market. Depending on where you shop, you might want to buy two bunches to make sure you have enough. Types of mint can vary and if you find the ice cream could use a little more mint flavor, feel free to add a dash of mint extract or oil, or crème de menthe, to the custard before churning.
(Note: If you have a copy of The Perfect Scoop, in some editions there is a conversion typo in the mint leaves. The metric weight of 2 cups of packed fresh mint leaves is 40 grams.)
Course Dessert

For the mint ice cream:

  • 1 cup (250ml) whole milk
  • 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
  • 2 cups (500ml) heavy cream
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups (40g) packed fresh mint leaves
  • 5 large egg yolks

For the chocolate chips:

  • 5 ounces (140g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,, chopped
  • In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream, salt, and mint.
  • Once the mixture is hot and steaming, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for an hour to infuse the mint flavor.
  • 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.
  • Pour the remaining heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer over the top.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • Immediately strain the mixture into the cream, then stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool.
  • 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.
  • 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.