Fresh Mint Ice Cream

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

This Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream is made with real mint leaves and dark chocolate ~ summer eating doesn't get any better! The zippy flavor of the fresh mint paired with an extra quantity of dark chocolate makes this the best mint chip ice cream I've ever tasted.

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 large handful fresh mint leaves (about 1 cup, lightly packed)
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 ounces dark chocolate
• 2 teaspoons neutral oil (canola, sunflower)

Method

1. Heat the cream and half and half in a saucepan until just simmering.
2. Remove from the heat, add the mint leaves, cover and let steep for 2 hours.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and the sugar and set aside.
4. Strain the mint leaves out of the cream, pour back into the saucepan, and add the egg yolk mixture.
5. Place back on the stove and heat over low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
6. Strain again to remove any bits of cooked egg yolk, and chill thoroughly (preferably overnight).
7. Churn according to your ice cream maker's instructions.
8. While the ice cream is churning, melt the dark chocolate with the oil in the microwave or in a double boiler and mix until it is smooth.
9. Pour the chocolate in a thin stream over the ice cream when it is almost done churning, you can break up any large pieces of chocolate that form with a spoon.
10. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze for at least a few hours before serving.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island