Chocolate Candy Cane Ice Cream

So many candy canes leftover from Christmas, and I didn’t even buy them for that reason! A client didn’t want to take them back home with her, so of course I brought them back with me…with every intention to make ice cream! I do enjoy the combination of chocolate and mint, especially in these bars, but some in my family aren’t too big of fans of the flavors together. So for the first recipe post of 2016, I have for you a chocolate covered candy cane flavored ice cream…I intentionally was going to make a vanilla peppermint mint candy, but then thought chocolate would be so much better. I mean chocolate makes every dessert taste better! Plus family, my dad especially, would be more inclined to enjoy the mint flavors of the ice cream if it’s chocolate. It is missing something, and it’s chunks of peppermint bark atop. Since, I still have candy canes left over, I’m planning on making my own bark, and hopefully some of this ice cream is still around that I can top a spoonful. This chocolate ice cream recipe is my favorite. It’s so rich, and velvety smooth, like frozen chocolate pudding. It’s definitely for those who enjoy chocolate, and taste just how a frozen hot chocolate should taste like.

The mint from the candy canes becomes so sweetly fresh, and the chocolate is thick and creamy. I choose to use vanilla bean for a sweeter base, but replacing it with peppermint extract would intensify the minty flavor for those of you who really enjoy the fresh herb taste. This is definitely what hot cocoa would be like during the summer time! Hoping this is the start of many more delicious recipes in the months ahead!

Peppermint Candy Cane Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients {Makes 1 quart}

5 – Egg Yolks

3/4 cup – Organic Cane Sugar {divided in half}

about 1 inch – Fresh Vanilla Been {cut in half + seeded}

2 3/4 cups – Milk 

1/4 cup – Unsweetened Cocoa {Use good quality brand – sifted}

3/4 cup – Candy Canes {broken in pieces}

Pinch – Salt

Recipe

Whisk the yolks in a medium heat-proof bowl, just to break them up, then whisk in half the sugar {6 tablespoons}. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk the cocoa powder, and remaining sugar with 1/4 cup of milk, to create a smooth paste. {This ensures the chocolate will not be lumpy}. Whisk in the remaining milk, salt and candy canes. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently to break up the candies. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, or until mint flavors are infused.

Prepare a heat proof bowl, over an ice bath with a fine mesh strainer. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the heated cream-milk mixture and whisk rapidly into the yolks. Repeat with another scoop of heated cream-milk mixture. Stir the yolk mixture back into the pan.

Cook the base over medium heat, constantly stirring until it has thickened {It should coat the back of your wooden spoon or rubber spatula, about 2 minutes longer}. Strain the base through a fine mesh strainer into your container over ice-water bath. Stir until the base has cooled to room temperature, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Place container you’ll be storing your ice cream into the freezer.

Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturers directions {It can churn as quickly as 10 minutes, or up to 25 minutes}. Transfer half of the ice cream to your cold storage container, and stir in additional candy cane pieces if desired. Top remaining ice cream with candy pieces.

Enjoy immediately or freeze for at least 4 hours.