Melting.

I could eat ice cream all day long. It’s one of my favourite treats. So many flavours to choose from – how to decide? Here’s the truth – mint chocolate chip ice cream is not my favourite flavour, not even close. I’d pick, pralines and cream, strawberry, or an orange sherbet well before I picked mint chocolate chip, but that’s not the case for one of my little girls. This is her favourite flavour.

I enjoy making ice cream but I don’t do it often and I don’t have much storage space in my kitchen so, I put the ice cream maker away and stick with store-bought. This past Spring, we did a big purge/spring cleaning and I came across our well loved but forgotten ice cream maker. I pulled it out from behind the waffle maker, espresso machine, pasta maker, you get the idea and started making homemade ice cream. Everything changed. I was reminded that there’s nothing better than this creamy, sweet, homemade treat on hot summer days and it’s been hot.

I have a lot of making up to do – starting with this tasty Spearmint and Chocolate Chip ice cream. You’ll have to hurry up and eat it, because in this heat it’s melting fast!

This version is so much better than store bought. The spearmint flavour is subtle, not overpowering and the base is creamy, smooth and rich. The mini chocolate chips add a nice texture and there’s no green food colouring.

Spearmint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Yields: 1 container

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups, fresh packed spearmint leaves

5 large egg yolks

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, set over medium-low heat, whisk together the milk, cream, half the granulated sugar, salt and vanilla. Bring the mixture to a boil.
2. Remove from the heat and add the spearmint leaves. Let steep for 30 minutes. I blended the cream and spearmint mixture, for a more intense flavour.
3. Return the mixture to a boil, over medium-low heat, after the steeping.
4. While the cream mixture is reheating, combine the yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg mixture, until pale yellow.
5. Once the cream mixture has come to a slight bowl, whisk about 1/3 of the hot cream mixture into the yolk/sugar mixture (whisk while pouring to ensure the yolks don’t curdle). Then add another 1/3 if the cream mixture and combine. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, store the mixture constantly over low heat, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5-10 minutes. Important: this mixture must not come to a boil or the eggs will cook/curdle.
6. Pour the mixture through a fine, mesh strainer and bring to room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
7. Give the mixture a quick stir and pour into your ice cream maker.
8. Follow the instructions for your ice cream maker. This recipe required 40 minutes of churning.
9. When almost fully churned, add mini chocolate chips.
10. Store ice cream in freezer for 2 hours. Before serving, remove from freezer for approximately 10 minutes.

Source: Cuisinart Recipe Book