Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
Chocolate Mint Ice Cream is a delicious homemade dessert that perfectly combines the richness of chocolate and the refreshing taste of mint. This recipe uses fresh mint leaves to infuse the cream, giving it a naturally vibrant mint flavor, while the rich chocolate base creates a creamy, indulgent treat. It’s easy to prepare and allows you to customize the mint and chocolate balance to suit your preferences.
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker (Optional, 1 unit)
- Mixing bowls (2)
- Whisk – 1 unit
- Saucepan (1)
- Fine-Mesh Sieve – 1
- Measuring cups and spoons (1 set)
- Ice Cream Container – 1 (for freezing)
Ingredients
- Fresh Mint Leaves – 1 cup
- Heavy Cream – 2 cups
- Whole Milk – 1 cup
- Sugar – 3/4 cup
- Egg Yolks – 4 large
- Cocoa Powder – 1/4 cup
- Chocolate Chips or Chunks optional – 1/2 cup
- Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – 1/4 teaspoon
- Green Food Coloring optional – a few drops
Instructions
- Infuse the Mint: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup of whole milk. Heat over medium heat until simmering.Add the fresh mint leaves and let steep for 10–15 minutes. Strain the mint leaves and set aside the mint-infused cream.
- Prepare the Chocolate Mixture: In a separate saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, 3/4 cup of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Gradually add 1 cup of milk and stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Heat over medium heat until it’s fully mixed and warm, then remove from heat.
- Make the Custard Base: Whisk 4 egg yolks in a separate bowl until smooth and pale. Slowly pour a little of the warm mint-infused cream into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper them.Gradually add the rest of the cream mixture to the egg yolks, whisking continually.
- Cook the Custard: Pour the egg and cream mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Be careful not to let it boil.
- Strain and Cool: Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Once the ice cream has thickened, add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chunks (optional) during the last few minutes of churning.
- Freeze the Ice Cream: Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, cover with parchment paper, and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
Notes
- Mint Flavor: Adjust the amount of mint extract or mint leaves depending on how intense you want the mint flavor.
- Churning Tips: If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can manually freeze and stir the mixture every 30 minutes for the first few hours to prevent ice crystals from forming.
- Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut milk and coconut cream instead of dairy products for a dairy-free version of this recipe.
- Storage: Store your ice cream in an airtight container for up to 2–3 weeks. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving to make scooping easier.