I recently splurged on the ice cream maker of my dreams
Remember my spearmint from a couple of months back? The spearmint makes its recipe début today along with my first ice cream recipe, of which there will be many more. Mint lends such a refreshing quality to cool drinks and frozen treats that it seemed the perfect choice for ice cream. When I found a recipe for mint ice cream in my mom’s May 2010 issue of Cooking Light, I knew I had to try it.
I made several adjustments to the magazine’s instructions and ended up with delicately flavored, light mint ice cream. My recipe calls for 2% milk, turbinado sugar, and only two egg yolks, compared to more typical recipes that use tons of cream, cups and cups of sugar, and six eggs.
The end result is light and slightly icy like sorbet, but as sweet and satisfying as gelato. The mint flavor tastes like the real deal, because it is. For once, I recommend against topping this dessert with chocolate. It overwhelms the flavor.
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 20 fresh mint leaves
- 3/4 cups turbinado (raw) sugar
- dash of salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- Combine milk, half-and-half and mint leaves in a medium sized, heavy sauce pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge (which should be about 180 degrees). Do not let it boil!
- Remove from heat, cover and let stand for ten minutes. That gives the mint flavor time to steep.
- Uncover it and pour the mixture through a colander into a medium bowl. Press the mint leaves slightly with a big spoon to get all the flavor. Discard the leaves, and pour the liquid back into your pan.
- In a new bowl, combine sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is pale.
- Gradually add half of the milk mixture to the egg mixture, while stirring constantly with a whisk.
- Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pan with the rest of the milk.
- Cook over medium-low heat for about two minutes (or to 160 degrees), stirring constantly.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Place the bowl in the fridge until the mixture cools completely, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- If you’d like the ice cream to harden up a little more, freeze it for a couple of hours.
- Adapted from Cooking Light.
- I originally advised adding a couple of tablespoons of vodka to the cream mixture per David Lebovitz‘s suggestion, but it turns out you don’t need any in this recipe. It’s scoopable straight from the freezer, without any extra help from alcohol.
The magazine says that this basic, light custard recipe tastes great with other flavors, like ginger, cinnamon or coconut. I can’t wait to try the rest!
19 Comments
Umm your version should be in Cooking Light. Your photos are absolutely gorgeous!! You continue to amaze me. Not to mention, mint ice cream is my favorite. I’m also a big fan of eBay!
Thanks, Heather! Cooking Light’s photo of the ice cream was pretty blah, if I say so myself. Let’s hear it for eBay!
I have spearmint, peppermint, and something called “chocolate mint” which actually tastes like chocolate mint, I need you to drive to Tulsa right now with that little ice cream machine of yours and make me some please! – jes
I can’t come right now, but I’m bringing my ice cream maker when I do! Can’t wait to see your new house and to steal some fresh herbs from your garden!
Stunning photos! And lovely recipe! I like that it’s a little on the lighter side. Plus, I have plenty of fresh mint on my hands!
OMG! That looks sooo good! I love the vanilla and mint combo :) Stunning photos…
such a yummy post and lovely pics too
Delphine
That looks so yummy and sounds super refreshing, too! I love the little tray you have it on in the first pic.
Thank you! I got the tray at my favorite local flea market. :)
Love the photos. I want to make this for friends and wanted to know when you add the vanilla? I didn’t see it listed in the instructions. Also, if I wanted to add vodka, should I do this while it’s chilling in the fridge or add it right before I place it in the ice cream maker? Thanks!
Hey Janie! Mix in the vodka before you pour it into the ice cream maker. I don’t think the vodka is necessary for this recipe, but it’s up to you!
Oops! Nevermind about the vanilla. Sorry, I don’t have my glasses on and skipped a line, argh.
Tripled and used fresh chocolate mint, growing in gobs, and subed 3 cups of whole lactaid for my lactos intolerant hub, and it turned out incredible!
So happy to hear you both enjoyed the ice cream, Kerri! I’m glad to know that lactaid can be substituted for the milk. Thank you for commenting!
The recipe looks great, I love that it’s light and I would really like to try it. I have lots of mint in my garden, but I don’t have an ice cream maker. Could it be done by hand? I have a Kenwood mixmaster??
Great question, Chris. Do you have a food processor? Here’s a technique for making ice cream in a food processor: http://www.thekitchn.com/video-how-to-make-ice-cream-in-a-food-processor-171649. I’m not sure if the mixer will work, but here are some other ideas to explore: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-ice-cream-without-124210. Hope these links help! The mint ice cream is really so good.
do you know if cutting up the leaves would help make it taste stronger. (this is my first visit to your site and I must say I’m impressed).
Hi Tabi, that is a good idea. I bet giving the mint a few chops with a chef’s knife would help release the flavor.
thank you for responding so quickly Kate:) I’ll try it out and see how it works.
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