PEPPERMINT STICK ICE CREAM ( Printer Friendly Version ) William Parker ccSCOOP Food Editor Take out a hammer and pulverize a few candy canes left over from the holidays. Peppermint stick ice cream is a Yankee favorite I never see anymore, except in Maine. When you’re adding the peppermint extract, be careful to add it a half teaspoonful at a time until you reach the desired mint taste. I love mine strong, especially when it’s to be served with chocolate sauce.

What You’ll Need:

Ice cream maker
Hammer
Plastic zipper bag
Medium saucepan
Medium bowl

3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
6 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup crushed good-quality hard peppermint candy
2 to 3 teaspoons peppermint extract, or to taste
1 or 2 drops red food coloring (optional)

Whisk egg yolks and salt in medium bowl.

Combine cream, milk, salt, and sugar in saucepan and heat over medium to medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot. DO NOT allow it to come to a boil. .

Whisk a cup of the hot liquid into the eggs quickly and thoroughly. Whisking constantly, return the egg mixture to the hot liquid in the saucepan.

Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Strain the custard mixture into a bowl. Allow it to come to room temperature. Then chill thoroughly.

When mixture is chilled, add peppermint extract, a half teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired intensity of mint flavor. If desired, add one or two drops of food coloring at this time. Then pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

While ice cream maker is running and mixture is still soft, add the crushed peppermint candy so that it becomes thoroughly incorporated.

When ice cream is hardened, serve, topped with chocolate sauce, if desired.