Ingredients
1½cupswhole milk
1½cupsheavy cream
½cupfresh mint leaves,packed
⅔cupgranulated sugar
1tbsplight corn syrup
4large egg yolks
¾tspmint extract,or peppermint extract, to taste
4dropsgreen food coloring,optional
2dropsblue food coloring,optional
4ozsemi-sweet chocolate,chopped, or bittersweet chocolate
Preparation
In a medium saucepan combine milk, 1 cup cream, and fresh mint leaves. Heat over medium heat and bring just to a gentle bubble for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile in a bowl, whisk together the remaining heavy cream with granulated sugar, corn syrup, and egg yolks for about 1 to 2 minutes until slightly pale and fluffy.
While whisking egg yolk mixture, slowly add about ½ cup warm milk mixture to egg yolk mixture without straining the leaves. Add egg yolk mixture to milk mixture in the saucepan and return to medium heat.
Cook mixture, stirring constantly for about 5 to 8 minutes until thickened. The mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon but don’t let it boil. Remove from heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a heat proof bowl.
Using a rubber spatula, rub mint leaves back and forth in over sieve to strain oils and natural flavors from leaves into a bowl, also scrap the bottom of the sieve once done and add that to the bowl, discard leaves.
Mix in green and blue food coloring, if desired, and mint extract. Cover with plastic wrap pressing directly against the surface of the mixture to prevent skin from forming.
Transfer to the refrigerator and allow to thoroughly chill through for about 4 to 5 hours.
Once fully chilled, process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufactures directions, adding in chopped chocolate during the last few minutes of processing.
Transfer mixture to an airtight container and freeze until nearly firm.
Serve and enjoy.
