Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

mint chocolate chip is one of my favorite ice cream flavors to eat but it gave me some trouble when i tried to make it myself. i followed a recipe using mint leaves figuring it would give the ice cream a truly pure, natural mint flavor. but halfway through the ice cream churning process, the consistency looked weird and it smelled even weirder. i tasted it and dang if it didn't taste weird too. something was just off. it almost looked like the cream had curdled even though i never even brought it to a boil. it broke my heart, but i threw it out.

that's one of the downfalls of being a food blogger. sometimes a dish just doesn't turn out. there are times i think i have a great idea in theory, but in practice, it's a disaster. this was one of those times. i hate wasting food/ingredients but sometimes it's unavoidable.

undeterred, i bought some more mint and cream and tried again, figuring i must have either somehow curdled the cream or the cream was bad to begin with. unfortunately, take two yielded the same funky smell. i decided it was the mint. something about steeping it in the cream was not working.

well, you know what they say, "third times a charm". and indeed it was. i was excited to finally create a successful minty ice cream. by the time i pushed my spoon into the churning ice cream maker i was craving mint cc something fierce and i was not disappointed. not only did my idea of using peppermint oil work, but my game-time decision to use lindt's dark chocolate with sea salt for the chocolate bits was a home run! wow, it was everything i had hoped for back before the first failed attempt.

you know what they say, "good things come to those who wait". now i say, good things come to those who make this recipe!

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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
scant 1 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 drops peppermint oil or 1 tsp peppermint extract
3.5 oz bar lindt dark chocolate with a touch of sea salt

heat whole milk over medium heat (until just warm - do not allow it to simmer or boil!). add sugar and stir until dissolved. remove from heat and add salt, vanilla extract, and peppermint oil. stir well, add heavy cream and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

make ice cream according to ice cream maker directions. meanwhile, chop chocolate into pieces and add them the last five minutes of the ice cream process. freeze for an additional hour in freezer and serve.