Fresh Spearmint Ice Cream Food

FRESH MINT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put the milk, salt, sugar and 1 cup of the heavy cream in a pot and heat over medium-low heat, stirring often, until everything combines. Add the mint leaves and stir to get them all wilted in the hot milk. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let the milk return to room temperature. When it hits room temperature, chill overnight in the fridge.
• The next day, strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve. It's OK if a few tiny mint leaf specks get in there. Reheat the mixture over medium-low heat. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. In another bowl, pour in the other cup of heavy cream and set the fine-meshed strainer over it.
• When the mint-cream mixture is hot, about 150°F, you are ready to temper your eggs. With one hand whisking the eggs, slowly pour in a ladle of the hot cream. Do this three times total, whisking and pouring the whole way. Then pour the egg-cream mixture into the pot and stir to combine.
• Cook the mixture slowly, stirring often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 160°F. Pour it through the strainer into the bowl with the other cup of heavy cream; doing it this way cools the mixture quickly. Chill everything down and churn according to your ice cream maker's directions.

FRESH SPEARMINT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath. Cook mint in a small saucepan of boiling water until bright green, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mint to ice-water bath. When cool, drain, and squeeze out excess water. Reserve ice-water bath.
• Puree mint and milk in a blender until mint is finely chopped. Transfer to a medium saucepan, add cream, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and sugar in a medium bowl.
• Gradually whisk 1/3 of the cream mixture into the egg mixture, then pour egg-cream mixture into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Set over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 8 minutes. (Do not let the mixture come to a simmer.)
• Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on mint to extract liquid. Set bowl in ice-water bath. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container, and freeze until firm, about 4 hours (or up to 1 week).

STRAWBERRY-MANGO ICE CREAM WITH FRESH SPEARMINT

Steps:

• Pour half-and-half into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Continue to heat until half-and-half is hot, but do not let it come to a boil.
• Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl until pale yellow.
• Slowly add about 1 cup of the half-and-half mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Repeat with another cup. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining half-and-half mixture and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let the mixture boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in spearmint and coconut extract. Pour mixture into a bowl with a pour spout and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Pour 1/2 of the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn to the consistency of soft-serve. Add strawberry puree. Continue to churn until ice cream has thickened. Transfer ice cream to a bowl and clean out the ice cream maker with a rubber spatula. Place strawberry ice cream in the freezer.
• Pour the remaining ice cream base into the ice cream maker and churn to the consistency of soft-serve. Add mango puree. Continue to churn until the ice cream has thickened.
• Remove strawberry ice cream from the freezer. Place a large scoop of strawberry ice cream in a 9-inch loaf pan using 2 large spoons. Top with a large scoop of mango ice cream. Fill up the loaf pan, continuing to alternate flavors. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours.