Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

My kitchen is full of gadgets that I never make the most out of. I've had an ice cream machine for at least 15 years and I must have used it about 4 times in those years. I've made a rather belated New Years Resolution to rediscover those less used kitchen gadgets.

This recipe is by The Icecreamists, creators of the infamous breast milk ice cream and will make 500ml of ice cream, and don't worry, this recipe uses milk of the cow variety.

Ingredients

• 250ml (1 cup) full fat milk
• 125ml (1/2 cup) double cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 88g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
• 150g (2/3 cup) dark chocolate fondant mints e.g After Eights
  
  
  
  

Method

• Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to steam.
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl and add the sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly fluffy. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisk continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and stir frequently over a low heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
• Pour the mixture back into the bowl and set aside to cook to room temperature. This will take about 30 minutes, or to speed up the process place the bowl in a sink half filled with cold water and ice. Never place the hot mixture in the fridge.
• Whilst the mixture is cooling melt 120g (1/2 cup) of the chocolate mints in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
• Once the ice cream mixture is cooled add the melted chocolate mints and blend with a stick blender. Refrigerate until the mixture is 4C (39F), this will take a minimum of 6 hours.
• Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.

TIP If you don't have an ice cream machine place the mixture in a freezer proof container, cover with a lid and place in the freezer for 50 minutes. Remove from the freezer and whisk to remove any ice crystals, place back into the freezer for 2-3 hours, removing it every 30 minutes to whisk. Finally leave until completely frozen.

• When the churning is complete roughly chop the remaining chocolate mints and fold them into the ice cream.
• Place the ice cream into a freezer proof container and freeze until it reaches the desired consistency.