Peppermint Ice Cream With Peppermint Pieces Recipes

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat half-and-half cream to 175°; stir in sugar and salt until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the eggs. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat immediately., Quickly transfer to a large bowl; place bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir gently and occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in cream and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Refrigerate several hours or overnight., Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer; freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer ice cream to freezer containers, allowing headspace for expansion. For each batch, stir in some of the peppermint candy. Freeze 2-4 hours or until firm.

PEPPERMINT STICK ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow. While whisking, slowly add the cream and the milk. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon or about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to cool at room temperature. Stir in the peppermint extract. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Set a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan in the freezer to chill.
• If adding the chocolate chunks, stir together the chocolate and vegetable oil and set aside. Churn the ice cream mixture in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. During the last few minutes of processing, add the candy cane pieces and very slowly drizzle in the chocolate mixture. (If added too quickly, the chocolate will clump; when the ice cream has been fully churned, use a pair of kitchen shears to cut any pieces that are too large.) Transfer the ice cream to the prepared loaf pan, cover well with plastic wrap and freeze until firm.

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM (WITH PEPPERMINT PIECES)

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, sugar, and salt. Make sure the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. (Make sure you do this slowly, or the eggs will be cooked from the heat of the milk mixture).
• Scrape the egg-and-milk mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. This should take 5-7 minutes.
• Pour the heavy cream into a bowl. Then, slowly pour the custard into the chilled heavy cream. Cool for about half an hour in the refrigerator.
• When the mixture is chilled, add peppermint extract. You may need more depending on your tastes and the strength of the extract you use.
• Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Near the end of the freezing process, add in the crushed peppermint candy.
• Store in an airtight container in your freezer.

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the half-and-half, vanilla bean, vanilla seeds and salt in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, then immediately remove the saucepan from the heat.
• In a large bowl add the sugar and egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add the half-and-half mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, to the beaten eggs and sugar, whisking after each addition. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and add the mint leaves. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Transfer the bowl to an ice bath and stir frequently until custard is completely cool. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Pour the custard into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions for churning time. As the ice cream begins to set, sprinkle in the crushed peppermint candies. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, about 8 hours.

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Make sure the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
• Pour the cream into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and set a medium-mesh sieve on top.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden or heatproof rubber spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula, about 5-7 minutes.
• Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Then stir until cool over the ice bath. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
• One the mixture is thoroughly chilled, add peppermint extract, a 1/4 teaspoon at a time, tasting the mixture after each addition, until you reach the desired level of peppermintiness. (Different peppermint extracts vary in strength. This recipe uses 2 teaspoons of McCormick peppermint extract.).
• Once chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Once the ice cream has been formed in the ice cream maker, it will be fairly soft. Fold in the crushed peppermint candy. Put in an airtight plastic container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it before serving.

PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE-CHUNK ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Make chocolate chunks:
• Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
• Chop chocolate. In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and cool chocolate. Chop mints (largest pieces should be about 1/4 inch) and stir into chocolate. Spread chocolate mixture 1/4 inch thick on wax-paper-lined baking sheet. Chill chocolate mixture until firm, about 30 minutes. Coarsely chop chocolate mixture and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap. Chocolate chunks may be made 1 week ahead and chilled.
• In a heavy saucepan whisk together cream, milk, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and add mints. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly, and simmer, stirring constantly, 1 minute, or until mints are dissolved and mixture is thickened. Pour mixture through a sieve into a bowl and cool. Stir in extract and, if using clear mints, food coloring. Chill mixture, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Freeze mixture in an ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to a bowl and fold in chilled chocolate chunks. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.