Chocolate Mint Ice Cream (Printable)

Rich chocolate and fresh mint create a creamy, refreshing frozen delight perfect for warm days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Sugars

03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Eggs

04 - 4 large egg yolks

→ Chocolate

05 - 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

→ Flavorings

06 - 1 teaspoon pure mint extract
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - Optional: a few drops natural green food coloring

→ Garnish (optional)

09 - 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

# How To Make:

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and half of the granulated sugar. Heat until just simmering, stirring occasionally, being careful not to boil.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
03 - Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
04 - Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, reaching 170–175°F (77–80°C). Avoid boiling.
05 - Remove from heat and immediately fold in the chopped bittersweet chocolate. Stir until fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
06 - Incorporate the mint extract, vanilla extract, and optional food coloring into the custard mixture.
07 - Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
08 - Process the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions. Add mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate during the last minute of churning if desired.
09 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours until firm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like the fanciest ice cream parlor creation, but you made it yourself in your own kitchen
  • The chocolate and mint combination never gets old—it's elegant enough for dinner guests yet comforting enough for a quiet evening alone
  • Once you master this base, you'll realize you can flavor it a hundred different ways
02 -
  • Temperature matters—an instant-read thermometer is your friend. Too low and you won't kill harmful bacteria; too high and you scramble the eggs. That 170-175°F range is your safe zone.
  • The custard must chill completely before churning. Warm custard churns into a slushy mess. I learned this the hard way on my second attempt.
  • Don't walk away while tempering the eggs. That's the one moment where disaster can strike, but constant whisking prevents it entirely.
03 -
  • If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can pour the chilled custard into a freezer-safe container and stir it vigorously every 30 minutes for three hours—it's more work but delivers similar results
  • Make sure your ice cream maker bowl is frozen solid; a partially frozen bowl extends churn time and creates larger ice crystals
  • Store ice cream in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn, and keep it toward the back of your freezer where it's coldest

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