Mint Chocolate Cookie Chip Ice Cream
When I was little my mom worked at night. My dad was possibly THE WORST cook ever. He put microwave pancakes in the toaster (also... who needs microwave pancakes anyway?), tried to make us eat canned creamed corn, and was really proud of this pork chop + cream-of-soup concoction that basically tainted pork chops for me for the rest of my life.
Before I turned 6 it was just me and my mom and my dad. Back then my dad did not pretend that he could cook anything but instead took me out to eat every night that my mom was working. Obviously this was not the most economical or healthy choice, but my five-year-old self thought it was superbly awesome.
Once every couple of weeks we would hit up Fuddruckers and my dad would get me a hot dog, ketchup only thank you, on one of their soft and crisp at the same time homemade hot dog buns. It was my favorite.
I really don't remember what in the world we talked about, only that I would sit there with my dad, who I thought was the most giant man in the whole wide world, and swing my feet while I smeared ketchup on my cheeks with each huge bite. And I waited.
Because before it was time to leave, we always made our way back up to the counter to order ice cream. MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP.
It was our favorite.
And still, to this day, I totally love it.
This ice cream is a play on traditional Mint Chocolate Chip, because in addition to the smooth, cool, creamy mint ice cream and crisp crunch of frozen semi-sweet chocolate chips, there is a thread of dark chocolate running through the center AND Hot for Cookie Creamer.
I don't take cream in my coffee. BUT. I do spend lots of time in the dairy section of the grocery store buying buttermilk and whipping cream, and last week I spotted the new International Delight + Cold Stone Creamery flavors hanging around in the dairy section and I thought they would make some freaking fantastic ice cream. PLUS I still had this ice cream pie in my brain and if someone would make it and bring a slice to my house I would totally not complain. Thanks.
Anyway, the creamer makes this ice cream taste like a mint chocolate chip cookie sundae and I pretty much have to stop myself from poking my head in the freezer with a spoon 10 times a day.
- 3 ounces good dark chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 86% cacao), chopped
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup Hot for Cookie International Delight Creamer
- ¾ cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- ½ cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the 1½ cups heavy cream, the ¾ cup whole milk, the ¾ cup Hot for Cookie Creamer, and ½ cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally and heat the mixture until steam appears and the sugar is dissolved. I test the temperature by dipping my finger in: it should be like the hottest hot dish water temperature but you don't want to scald the milk and cream.
- While the creamy milk mixture heats on the stove, beat the egg yolks with the remaining ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl.
- You are going to temper the eggs to heat them without causing them to curdle or scramble by mixing in ½ cup of the hot milk mixture at a time into the egg/sugar bowl. Whisk between each addition and then pour everything back into the saucepan. Heat the contents of the pan the same way you did the first time, stirring occasionally, until it is slightly thickened.
- Stir in the mint extract.
- You can use an ice bath at this point to bring the temperature down slowly before freezing, but I just stick the pan in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Pour the contents into the canister of an ice cream maker and churn according to your manufacturer's instructions. Add the chocolate chips in the last 2 minutes of churning.
- Place about 2 inches of water in a small saucepan and place a heat-proof bowl over the top to create a double-boiler (I use a cereal bowl). Place the chopped chocolate in the bowl and then put the pan over medium high heat until the chocolate melts (stir while it is melting. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Layer the ice cream in a freezer proof container. Spoon the churned ice cream on the bottom. Drizzle the melted chocolate all over. Then spoon more ice cream. Then add more chocolate. Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.
This post was submitted to Wake Up Wednesdays!!
I love any mint type ice cream - this looks So good,wish I had some now...thanks for linking up to wake up wednesdays
Thanks so much Heather! And thanks for hosting!!!
OH MY GOD THOSE ICE CREAM SPOONS! Cuteness overload. And this ice cream, don't evennnn get me started.
I get stupid excited when I bust out those spoons. I have one that looks like a banana split!! Custard-based ice cream is really where it's at.
Heather, you had me until you said you like ketchup on your hot dog. That's a big No-No in Chicago. 🙂
Very cute story!! I've never made my own ice cream and I've never had Mint Chocolate Cookie Chip Ice Cream before! Sounds like a must try to me!!
Ha!! Actually... I really don't like hot dogs. But I was 5. Plain + ketchup all the way. If I decide to have one now it needs chili and slaw but that's pretty much like once every 2 years. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'VE NEVER HAD MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM!! You need to get on that ASAP.
The whole idea of creamed corn makes me a bit sick....my mom used to try to force that stuff on me too. So gross. I can almost taste it right now.
Ice cream! Now that's doable!
Once my dad made my sister and I sit at the table until we ate the creamed corn. We sat there until 11 pm when my mom came home and told us to go to bed. Creamed corn = never!!!!
I've spent my Sunday evening getting caught up on all the blogs in my reader and pinning recipes. I have to say that out of everything I looked at tonight, this is not only the favorite recipe I found (since I LOVE mint chocolate chip ice cream too), but also the best story. I loved reading about your weekly trips with your Dad to Fuddruckers. Very sweet memory for you! Thanks for sharing the story and the recipe!
Awwww thanks, Michelle! You're so sweet!
You sound like me-- binge reading whenever I have a few spare minutes.
Hope you love this ice cream as much as we do! (Mint Chocolate Chip is WHAT'S UP!!)
I must be missing something...in #1 you heat the cream, milk, creamer and sugar, but in #2 it says while the creamy milk mixture heats on the stove and the chocolate melts, beat the egg yolks with the remaining ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl. When do I put the chocolate in to melt? I don't see where you are adding the chocolate.
Never mind. I finally got down to #7.
I made this one 3 times before I wrote the instructions because they felt complicated, but really once you do it it's pretty easy-- let me know how it turns out for you Amy!
It was fantastic but would have been better if I would have just stuck to your directions. I love mint so I made the chocolate bar a mint chocolate bar and I love chocolate so I added an extra 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Let me just say that more is not necessarily better!! So next time I'll follow more closely. But it was still amazing!
I'm so glad you tried this!!! I love mint and chocolate too! Thanks for letting me know, Amy!!
I just re-read things and there was a "while the chocolate melts" in one of the first few steps that I didn't take out from my 1st draft-- THANK YOU! That was a good catch!
Chocolate chip mint is my favorite ice cream, my second favorite mint ting a ling, O, so good!!! I never bought an ice cream maker, I think I remember you getting a new one. What did you get? I need to make this!!!----Rachel
Hey Rachel!! We DID get an ice cream maker! Cuisinart. I love it. It is small and doesn't require any ice cream salt so I can actually make it right on the kitchen counter! This is the one I bought: http://bit.ly/1bguse3
I hope you'll try this recipe! We LOVED it!
Looks good...and I can totally see you swinging your little legs in anticipation of ice cream.
Haha. yup. I did that.
I love your story and the ice cream looks refreshing!
Thanks so much Deb!