I recently treated myself to the ice cream maker I’ve always wanted, and it has quickly become my favorite gadget. I’ve been decluttering my wardrobe by selling clothes I no longer wear on eBay, and I’ve been using the extra money to stock up on kitchen essentials. This shift in my spending habits really reflects how my interests have evolved since I started this blog. (And just to clarify, my clothes still fit!)
Do you remember the spearmint I mentioned a couple of months ago? Well, today it makes its debut in a recipe alongside my very first ice cream creation, with many more to follow. Mint adds such a delightful freshness to both beverages and frozen desserts, making it an ideal choice for ice cream. When I stumbled upon a mint ice cream recipe in my mom’s May 2010 issue of Cooking Light, I knew I had to give it a go.
I tweaked the magazine’s guidelines and created a subtly flavored, light mint ice cream. My version uses 2% milk, turbinado sugar, and just two egg yolks, in contrast to the usual recipes that call for excessive cream, large amounts of sugar, and six eggs.
The final product is airy and a bit icy, reminiscent of sorbet, yet sweet and fulfilling like gelato. The mint flavor is authentic because it’s made with real mint. Surprisingly, I suggest skipping the chocolate topping, as it can overpower the delightful mint taste.
Fresh Mint Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 20 fresh mint leaves
- ¾ cups turbinado (raw) sugar
- dash of salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
Instructions:
- 1. Combine milk
- half-and-half
- and mint leaves in a medium-sized
- heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge (about 180°F). Do not let it boil! 2. Remove from heat
- cover
- and let stand for ten minutes to steep the mint flavor. 3. Uncover and pour the mixture through a colander into a medium bowl. Press the mint leaves slightly to extract all the flavor
- then discard the leaves and pour the liquid back into the pan. 4. In a new bowl
- combine sugar
- salt
- and egg yolks. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is pale. 5. Gradually add half of the milk mixture to the egg mixture while stirring constantly. 6. Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pan with the rest of the milk. Cook over medium-low heat for about two minutes (or to 160°F)
- stirring constantly. 7. Pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. 8. Place the bowl in the fridge until the mixture cools completely
- stirring occasionally. 9. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 10. If you’d like the ice cream to harden further
- freeze it for a couple of hours.