Thursday, June 10, 2010

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

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All over this property where we’re temporarily living is mint—a lot of mint.  You may know, if you plant mint, it takes over and grows everywhere.  One day a few weeks ago, Taylor picked a bunch of it and wanted me to make something with it.  He wanted to just put some of it in water and have mint water, which does not sound good to me.  Ice cream.  That sounds good!  I played around with some ingredient ideas.  I knew I didn’t want to make the ice cream with an egg custard.  Mostly because I feel too guilty eating full fat ice cream and wanted to lighten it up a bit.  The ice cream has a wonderful fresh taste.  I love it.  It’s not Kevin’s favorite (what is?).  It tastes nice and earthy and real.  Add that chocolate and it’s just wonderful.

I’ve now made the ice cream twice.  Just had to make sure it really is good, you know. ;)  I made it with a combination of whole milk, half and half and cream, but you could use any three cups of whichever you’d like.  Because I purposely wanted to make it lighter (it’s still not the lightest kind of ice cream!), it does have just a slight iciness to it, but it’s still plenty creamy and a perfect end to an evening.  Do you have mint by the bushels around you?  If so, you’ve got to try this great summer treat!

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1 cup whole milk

1 cup mint leaves (about 1/2 ounce), or to your liking, chopped

3/4 cup granulated sugar

pinch of alt

1 cup half and half

1 cup heavy cream

green food coloring, optional

2 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Heat milk in saucepan on stove over medium heat with the sugar, salt and mint leaves added.  When it is hot, but not boiling, remove from heat and let mint seep in the warmed milk for about 45 minutes.  Add the half and half and cream.  Strain the mint leaves from the milk and press it against the strainer to release as much flavor as you can.  Add the food coloring if desired.  I used about seven drops.  You can then chill the mixture in the refrigerator or churn it according to the manufacturer instructions of your ice cream maker immediately (I have not taken the time to chill it—can’t wait that long. ;)  While the ice cream is churning, about 30 minutes, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.  Once the ice cream is about done, slowly drizzle the melted chocolate in to the churning ice cream.  Enjoy as soft serve immediately or freeze for a few hours in an airtight container.

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I don’t know why, but it wasn’t until after I came up with this that I realized David Lebovitz probably has a mint chip ice cream in his book, The Perfect Scoop, which is my ice cream “bible”.  I looked in the book and sure enough, there was his version of fresh mint ice cream.  I can’t believe I hadn’t thought to look in it.  But that said, his IS made with lots of egg yolks, so while I’m sure it’s as delicious as all his other ice creams, I like this version that I made.  Just because I’m nice (jk), I’ve got a link for you to David’s recipe that he just happened to post on his blog a couple weeks ago.  Great minds, that’s what I say.  I did get the idea for the melted, drizzled chocolate from his book when I recently made his Gianduja Gelato.  (Heavenly ice cream with hazelnuts!)  When you do chocolate that way, it is called stracciatella.  I like it much better than biting in to hardened chocolate chips in ice cream.  I suppose mini chips would be okay.

Enjoy some ice cream this summertime!

24 comments:

Plain Chicken said...

I've seen a lot of fresh mint ice cream on the web - it must be good. I better pull out my ice cream maker!

Looks great!

Heidi said...

Mint chocolate chip is Laney's favorite, but I try not to keep ice cream in the house for my sake.

Whitney Smith said...

mmm..i'd feel guilty making an ice cream with an egg custard too, so i think i'll have to try this. no access to fresh mint though...and you make it sound like it grows like weeds! maybe i should plant some? hmm....

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♥peachkins♥ said...

yummy! one of my fave flavors..

The Peach Kitchen
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Vaness said...

Mmmmm, next to peanut butter, mint chip is my favourite! I don't think I've ever had it made from real mint though...

Gourmified said...

YUM! We totally have oodles of mint in our backyard. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it's a weed. Maybe I'll be glad it's there now. Can't wait to try this recipe! Mint is one of my FAVORITES!!!

TeaLady said...

OMW but that looks so refreshing. Now I have something to do with my fresh mint in the kitchen.

Shari said...

This sounds fresh, refreshing and amazing! Great photos too!!

RecipeGirl said...

I absolutely love the idea of making mint choc chip ice cream with fresh mint! It's my husband's fave ice cream. We've got mint growing like weeds in our courtyard so I must make this soon!

Kayte said...

So pretty in this little ruffled bowl. Mint sounds great...can toss the chocolate in for the guys, right?

Anonymous said...

That's my favorite ice cream flavor! Looks so good!

Unplanned Cooking said...

Wow! I love Mint Chocolate Chip, and I am so impressed with you!

Pamela said...

It looks absolutely perfect!

Susan said...

Yum! My hubby love mint chocolate chip ice cream. I guess I need to drag out the ice cream maker. :)

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your kind words.

Kerstin said...

This would definitely be my favorite way to use up fresh mint!

Unknown said...

Mint chocolate chip is my favorite ice cream flavor - it's all I ever get when we go out. I made it at home once but didn't love it, I'll just have to try again :)

Judy said...

How great that you used that mint! I have a ton of mint and always forget to use it. And I still haven't bought an ice cream maker.

Anonymous said...

This sounds fabulous! I'd happily eat some kind-of-icy ice cream if it has less fat!

Julie said...

How great to have an abundant supply of mint! Looks like you put it to great use.

Pam said...

I wish I had a HUGE scoop right now.

Amanda said...

Ohhhh bookmarked! This looks awesome!!

Anne said...

Chocolate mint it my favorite flavor of ice cream. I can't wait to try this- thanks for lightening it up for us!

Mimi said...

Light and refreshing ice cream. Be sure and take a couple of sprigs of mint with you to plant at your new home.
Mimi

mike said...

WONDERFUL! I saw David's recipe in my new book and new ice cream maker (so I'm set) - love them both! But love NOT having to use 5 or 6 egg yolks all the time. I will have to try your version - looks fantastic. Oh.. I need to grow some mint - the one herb I forgot to get this year!