i scream, you scream

We all scream for ice cream. Who doesn't love a bowl of creamy, cold deliciousness? I love ice cream; it reminds me of being a kid and playing in Fort Taco, the awesome fort/swing set my dad built for me (yes, I named it).

Anyway, back to the present... Everyone's got their favorite flavor and mine is mint chocolate chip! After I started looking at the necessary ingredients, I didn't know what I was going to do with half a jug of whole milk after making one batch of ice cream, so naturally, I decided to make another. Coffee chocolate chip for the second bath — made with real coffee beans.

I got my ice cream maker a few months ago, but have only made sorbet. As good as this ice cream is, I may not ever make sorbet again! Well, that's probably not true...

CAUTION: This is against all things I stand for and includes egg yolks, heavy cream, tons of sugar and whole milk, BUT, as long as you don't eat the entire thing in one sitting, you should be okay.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp mint extract
• 6 drops of green food coloring
• 1 4 oz. chocolate bar, I used Ghirardelli, chopped

In a medium saucepan bring cream and milk to a summer over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and do not boil. Meanwhile, in a mixer, mix the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is smooth and thick. While mixer is still on, slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk/cream to the eggs to temper them. After combined, transfer the egg mixture to the rest of the milk/cream in the pot. Continue to cook on medium-low heat, until thickened (the mixture will coat the back of the spoon). Remove from heat and stir in extracts and food coloring. Transfer to a bowl and cool overnight in the fridge. Push the plastic down onto the custard so you don't get a skin on top.

Once cooled, make ice cream according to the maker's directions. In the last few minutes of freezing add in the chocolate chips. Transfer to freezer container and freeze until solid. YUM!

Coffee Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 large egg yolks
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups coffee beans
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 4 oz. bar of chocolate, again I used Ghirardelli, chopped

Simmer the milk, sugar, coffee beans, salt, cinnamon and 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it begins to lightly bubble, remove from heat and let steep for one hour. After steeping, return to heat. Pour the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream in a large bowl with a strainer over it. In another large bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Once the coffee mixture is warm again, strain it over the remaining cream and stir together. Slowly pour in the coffee/milk mixture into the eggs to temper them. Once combined, return to pan and simmer until thickened, it will coat the back of the spoon. Mix in the vanilla and transfer to another bowl, press plastic wrap on top to keep from forming a skin on the custard. Chill overnight.

Freeze according to ice cream maker's instructions. Place in a freezer container and freeze until hardened. YUM AGAIN!