Giant Mint Choc Ice Food

GIANT MINT CHOC ICE

Steps:

• Brush a 450g loaf tin with oil. As neatly as you can, line the bottom and sides of the tin with two strips of baking parchment. Melt 100g of the chocolate in the microwave with 1 tbsp vegetable oil on high in 30-sec bursts until smooth and glossy, then pour the melted chocolate into the loaf tin. Carefully spread the chocolate up the sides of the tin using a cutlery knife until they are all evenly coated. Put the tin in the freezer for 15 mins to set and take the ice cream out of the freezer to soften.
• Take the tin out of the freezer and, working as quickly as you can, spread a quarter of the ice cream onto the base, then top with a single layer of chocolate mint thins. Add another layer of ice cream, followed by a layer of biscuits and mint thins. Top with another layer of ice cream, then a single layer of mint thins, before sealing with the last of the ice cream. Put back in the freezer to harden for at least 2 hrs or overnight. Don't worry if your layers are a bit messy - once everything has set and you cut a slice, it will look great.
• Melt the remaining chocolate with the oil, leave it to cool a little, then, working quickly, spoon blobs over the ice cream and smooth over with the back of the spoon to cover the base. Return to the freezer until set. About 10 mins before you want to serve it, invert the ice cream bar onto a plate and peel off the baking parchment. Cut into six slices using a hot, sharp knife.

GIANT MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes) on medium speed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla.
• At a low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in batches, until just blended, do not over beat or the dough will get tough. Stir in the chocolate chunks and chopped chocolate using a wooden spoon until well combined. Wrap the bowl with plastic and chill dough 30 minutes or overnight.
• Shape or scoop into 2-inch balls using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Place on cookie sheets, about 3 inches apart. (About 6 cookies per tray with 2 trays per batch.) Flatten them slightly and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on tray about 3 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 5 minutes to thaw/soften slightly before scooping. Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, place 3 scoops of ice cream (about 1/2 cup) onto the flat side of a cookie. Top with another cookie and press gently to flatten slightly. Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, smooth the ice cream around the edges of the cookie until the ice cream is flush with the outside of the cookie. Serve immediately or re-freeze until ready to serve. If re-freezing, thaw the sandwich for about 4 to 5 minutes before serving.

REAL MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP GELATO RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and mint together until it comes to a simmer. Once it simmers, remove it from the heat and set it aside, and let it infuse for about 45 minutes.
• Whisk the eggs and the sugar together in a medium mixing bowl.
• One ladleful at a time, whisk the milk mixture into the eggs.
• Return the gelato mixture to the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Remove from the heat and immediately pour the mixture through the sieve. Discard all the solids left and mint in the sieve. Set aside to cool down at room temperature.
• Once cooled, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours but up to 3 days.
• Churn according to the directions for your ice cream maker.
• When the gelato starts to resemble soft serve and is almost finished churning, melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat.
• While the machine is still churning, drizzle the hot melted chocolate into the gelato. It will freeze in ribbons into the gelato.
• Transfer to an airtight, freezable container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. Store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Peel and cut the bananas into 1-inch rounds. Place the bananas in a freezer bag and freeze for at least 3 hours.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, milk and vanilla.
• If your banana slices have been frozen for longer than a day, let them thaw for about 15 minutes. Place the frozen bananas, chocolate mixture and salt in a food processor and blend well, stopping to scrape down the sides often to get a smooth, even consistency. Add a drop of mint extract to the ice cream, blend and taste. For a more intense mint flavor, increase the mint a drop at a time until you achieve the desired taste. Finally, add the chocolate chips into the ice cream and stir by hand until they're mixed throughout.
• Scoop the ice cream into single-serving bowls and serve immediately or cover in plastic wrap and freeze. If you're saving these for a later time, remove the bowls from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving.

FRESH MINT & CHOC CHIP ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a plastic bag, seal and freeze for at least 30 mins. Bash the frozen chocolate with a rolling pin until it shatters into small chunks inside the bag.
• Pour the milk and cream into a medium heavy-based pan, then add the vanilla pod, scraping the seeds into the mixture. Heat the creamy milk, stirring occasionally, until almost boiling. Add the mint leaves and stalks, cover with a lid, and leave for 15 mins.
• Strain the liquid, pressing the mint with a spatula to extract maximum flavour. Discard the leaves and stalks, and scoop out the vanilla pod.
• Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until thick and pale - about 5 mins if you are using an electric whisk. Return the minty cream to a clean pan and bring back to almost boiling.
• Pour half the hot liquid onto the egg and sugar mixture, whisking to combine everything before adding the remaining liquid. Return the custard to the rinsed-out pan and cook over a low heat, stirring all the time, until lightly thickened - about 3-4 mins. Take care it doesn't get too hot or it may curdle. Strain the custard into a bowl and leave to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming. Chill the custard until really cold - it's a good idea to leave it overnight.
• Churn the custard in an ice-cream machine until frozen. Add the chocolate pieces just before it sets. If you don't have a machine, pour the custard into a chilled container and freeze for 2-3 hrs until the sides become icy. Whisk thoroughly to break up any crystals, then add the chocolate and freeze until solid. Leave to soften in the fridge for 20-30 mins, then serve in bowls or cones.