Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green food coloring (optional)
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 ounces semisweet or dark baking chocolate, grated or chopped very fine

Peppermint oil may be substituted for the extract. Use ¼ teaspoon peppermint oil as it is much stronger than extract.

Directions:

Combine milk, cream, sugar and both extracts in a large mixing bowl. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. It will sink to the bottom of the bowl so mix thoroughly, for at least 30 seconds. If desired, add a drop or two of green food coloring, stirring after each addition.

Pour mixture into an ice cream maker. As the ice cream begins to thicken, usually after about 10 minutes, slowly add the chocolate so that it is evenly distributed throughout the ice cream. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for freezing and storing the ice cream.

A word about the chocolate: Finely grating or chopping the chocolate is done for two reasons. The smaller bits of chocolate will spread through the ice cream more completely and will melt quickly when the ice cream is eaten. Larger pieces of chocolate will freeze into rock-hard chunks. For this reason, miniature chocolate chips may be used in this recipe but regular chocolate chips are not recommended.

Ice cream is one of the great simple pleasures of life.

Full of calcium, it is a good choice when the sweet tooth can no longer be denied. Ice cream is easy to make and adaptable to all tastes and preferences.

All good cooks should have a few basic ice cream recipes in their repertoire.

 

courtesy :icecreamfundays.com