Peppermint Ice Cream Gems Food

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat half-and-half cream to 175°; stir in sugar and salt until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the eggs. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat immediately., Quickly transfer to a large bowl; place bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir gently and occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in cream and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Refrigerate several hours or overnight., Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer; freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer ice cream to freezer containers, allowing headspace for expansion. For each batch, stir in some of the peppermint candy. Freeze 2-4 hours or until firm.

PEPPERMINT STICK ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow. While whisking, slowly add the cream and the milk. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon or about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to cool at room temperature. Stir in the peppermint extract. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Set a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan in the freezer to chill.
• If adding the chocolate chunks, stir together the chocolate and vegetable oil and set aside. Churn the ice cream mixture in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. During the last few minutes of processing, add the candy cane pieces and very slowly drizzle in the chocolate mixture. (If added too quickly, the chocolate will clump; when the ice cream has been fully churned, use a pair of kitchen shears to cut any pieces that are too large.) Transfer the ice cream to the prepared loaf pan, cover well with plastic wrap and freeze until firm.

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM (ICE CREAM MAKER)

Steps:

• In a bowl, stir the cream and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
• Set aside for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to blend.
• Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.
• In a food processor, grind the peppermint candies by pulsing 2 or 3 times. Some of the candies will be more finely ground than others; small chunks of candy will add texture and interest to the final ice cream.
• Pour the cream mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• When nearly frozen and the consistency of thick whipped cream, add the ground peppermint candies. Churn or stir just until mixed.
• Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container.
• Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving.

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Make sure the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
• Pour the cream into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and set a medium-mesh sieve on top.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden or heatproof rubber spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula, about 5-7 minutes.
• Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Then stir until cool over the ice bath. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
• One the mixture is thoroughly chilled, add peppermint extract, a 1/4 teaspoon at a time, tasting the mixture after each addition, until you reach the desired level of peppermintiness. (Different peppermint extracts vary in strength. This recipe uses 2 teaspoons of McCormick peppermint extract.).
• Once chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Once the ice cream has been formed in the ice cream maker, it will be fairly soft. Fold in the crushed peppermint candy. Put in an airtight plastic container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it before serving.

PEPPERMINT ICE DREAM

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch, then whisk in soy milk.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently, and boil whisking constantly for one minute; remove from heat.
• Whisk several large spoonfuls of hot milk mixture into egg whites, then whisk egg mixture back into saucepan of hot milk.
• Return saucepan to heat and cook over medium flame, whisking constantly, until mixture returns to a boil.
• Tranfer mixture to a bowl and stir in Creme de Menthe and peppermint extract.
• Refrigerate until cold (or overnight, if desired--I find that helps it thicken up more).
• Freeze mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.
• Add chopped chocolate towards the end of the freezing process.