PEPPERMINT AND DARK CHOC CHIP ICE CREAM

The first time I attempted to make this ice cream flavor it was a big flop! I started out with my original vanilla ice cream flavor and decided I wanted it to have real peppermint in it - not fake peppermint essence but the real thing with real peppermint health properties and taste. I figured if I took my peppermint leaves (I have a plant in my garden) and blended the leaves in a blender until juiced/fine and sieved it into the cream mixture it would have the flavor I wanted. Boy was I wrong! It tasted earthy and green and not nice at ALL!
Then after stumbling across a few peppermint ice cream recipes on the internet I realized that in order to get the real peppermint taste I wanted I needed to infuse the leaves in the cream. (check out this cool peppermint ice cream recipe). I tried it out recently and it worked. *happy dance*

Sometimes we just need to persevere.... and good things happen

INGREDIENTS
7 Egg yolks
500ml cream - 2 tubs of cream (250ml each)
1 cup (250ml) milk
2 vanilla pods (seeds scraped out)
125ml organic brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey (optional)
1 - 2 large handfuls of peppermint leaves (well washed)
50grams - 100grams DARK chocolate (i use either 70% or 85% cocoa)



METHOD:
Place the milk and cream in a heavy based saucepan along with the peppermint leaves. Slowly bring to just below boiling point. While you are waiting for it to heat up separate the eggs and mix very well with the brown sugar and honey.
When your peppermint cream mixture has been heated to just before boiling point take off the heat and stand for a few minutes (it must cool and infuse) take out the leaves. Stir into the egg mixture.
Keep stirring. Once the egg mixture has been incorporated properly put it back in the pot on the stove and warm slowly until it has thickened slightly to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Take care not to heat to quickly as the eggs will scramble once it has thicken you can now place the custard in a bowl in the fridge to cool down for a few hours (atleast 3 hours).

Roughly chop up the dark chocolate.
When you custard mixture is nice and cold place in an ice cream machine and make according to your machines instructions. Add choc chips half way through :)
*If you don't have an ice cream machine place the mixture in a low sided metal pan or bowl and place in the freezer. Take out every 30 - 45 minutes and beat with an electric beater until nice and smooth and the ice crystals have been broken up - the more time u beat and return to freezer the smoother and creamier it your ice cream will be :)  You can add some choc chips after the first beating.

Enjoy