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Photo by Christel Lewis/iStock
Nutty mint-chocolate chip ice cream
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Photo by Belinda Smith-Sullivan
Be sure to use the right sieve for the smoothest custard. See tip below.
MAKES 1½ QUARTS
1¼ cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup fresh mint, packed
1 vanilla bean, split (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
4 egg yolks
½ cup honey
Pinch salt, optional
½ cup mini chocolate chips
½ cup sliced or slivered almonds (or pistachios, walnuts or pecans)
In a heavy, 2-quart saucepan, combine the milk, 1½ cups cream and the mint. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Add the seeds and the bean to the milk mixture (or add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract). Cook over medium heat until bubbles form around edges of the pan, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let flavors fuse for about 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, honey, salt and remaining cream. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk into the mint-flavored mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and keeping at a simmer, until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 4–5 minutes. Do not let the custard boil.
Strain through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on the mint with the back of the spoon. Discard the mint and vanilla bean. Place the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and water (but not so full that water will run over into the custard). Stir custard occasionally, allowing time for it to cool. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.
To freeze, pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add chocolate chips and nuts to nearly frozen custard 5–10 minutes before removing from the machine. Transfer to a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.
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Recipe tips
Don’t let your custard boil
Boiling a custard can cause curdling, so you’re results will be lumpy. To thicken, a sweet custard only needs to reach a temperature between 160 F and 180 F, well below the boiling point. If it gets too hot, that’s when egg proteins start to break down and lose their shape, so you may end up with a custard that seems to have congealed pieces of egg in it.
Use the right sieve for straining custards after cooking
A fine-mesh sieve is the best choice for straining custards. It filters out leftover residue from the cooking process. If you don’t have a fine-mesh sieve, you can use a coarse-mesh sieve, but place two layers of cheesecloth inside.
Vanilla beans vs. vanilla extract
Buying vanilla beans is a bit more expensive than buying vanilla extract. But many cooks prefer to use the beans to get the purest vanilla flavor possible, especially for recipes in which vanilla is a key ingredient. For budget-conscious cooks, pure vanilla extract also provides a good vanilla flavor. It has no added sugar and is made by soaking whole vanilla beans in alcohol—usually vodka, bourbon, rum or brandy. An even cheaper option is imitation vanilla, made from artificial flavorings. You’ll save money, but you may not get the flavor you want. If a recipe calls for pure vanilla extract and you are using imitation vanilla, you may need to increase the amount used to get the full flavor benefit.