Yield: About 1 quart
Cook’s notes: This comes from my book “Desserts From an Herb Garden,” although the original recipe calls for chunks of mint julep truffles (another recipe in the book); you can substitute other mint truffles or just chocolate chips or chunks (for homemade ice cream, I prefer mini chocolate chips).
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole or 2 percent milk
1 tablespoon minced mint leaves
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chunks of truffles (optional)
In a medium saucepan, mix cream, milk and mint leaves; bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together yolks and sugar; very gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour into ice cream canister and chill in freezer 30 to 45 minutes, until cold, stirring every 15 minutes.
Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions; just before ice cream is solid, mix in truffles. Serve immediately or store in freezer.
