Heavenly Fresh Mint Ice Cream

By Peggy Knickerbocker

This easy ice cream is even more delicious topped with berries or sliced peaches. It's not bad with a good chocolate sauce, either!

Servings: Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:

2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
12 sprigs large fresh mint , coarsely torn
7 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

In a medium heavy saucepan, bring cream and milk to a boil. Remove from heat. Add mint sprigs, cover pot, and allow to steep 30 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl; discard solids.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Add a few tablespoons of warm milk mixture to egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Once combined, add egg mixture back into milk mixture, whisking continuously.

Return to saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a large heat-proof rubber spatula until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (a mark should remain when you run your finger down spoon). Alternatively, cook until an instant thermometer reads 175° to 180°. Do not allow mixture to boil.

Strain custard through a fine mesh sieve into a glass bowl; discard solids. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day. (To quicken chilling time, place glass bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice water until custard thickens slightly and is completely cool to touch.)

Freeze custard according to ice cream maker instructions. Transfer to airtight container and freeze up to 2 days, removing ice cream from freezer about 10 minutes before serving to soften. Or serve immediately after making.

From Oprah.Com