peppermint ice cream

Ice cream may not seem like a winter dessert to some but I love pairing it was something warm and fresh out of the oven. Today, it's peppermint ice cream with dark chocolate brownies. Yum! I essentially used the same recipe as the Thai tea ice cream I made over the summer, substituting fresh peppermint sprigs for the Thai tea. I'll include the recipe here anyhow!

Here's what you'll need:
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 1 1/2 cups cream
* 6-8 sprigs of peppermint
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 egg yolks

Here's what to do:
Heat the milk on medium until it just starts to bubble. Stir in the peppermint leaves and remove from heat. Let steep about 25 minutes.

Strain into another bowl and add 1/2 cream and sugar. Mix and heat until steamy. Put your egg yolks into a large bowl then spoon the heated mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Be careful not to add to much at a time or your eggs will cook to quickly resulting in an unwanted egg drop soup situation.

Alright, we're almost here. Add the rest of your cream. Then, take the combined mixture and cook at medium heat until it thickens into a custard-like texture, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let it sit until cool. I tend to get impatient so I pour the mixture back and forth between two containers to speed up the cooling process, and then stick it in the freezer until it cools down completely.

Now that you've got your custard, just follow the instructions on your ice cream maker. After about 15-25 minutes of churning, your ice cream should be ready! I served this batch with the most amazing brownies baked from a recipe from Inside a Black Apple.

What's your favorite winter ice cream? Drop me a recipe if you've got one!