Peppermint Ice Cream Recipe

• Custard: Pour the half and half into a large saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until very hot and steamy, just below simmering. Remove the pan from the heat. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and falls into ribbons when the whisk is lifted from the bowl. In a slow stream, pour about 2 cups of the hot half and half into the egg yolks, stirring constantly. (Adding the hot liquid gradually will prevent the eggs from curdling.) Pour the egg mixture slowly into the saucepan of the remaining half and half, stirring constantly. Cook the custard over low heat, stirring continually, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (170 to 175 degrees), 10 to 15 minutes.
• Strain the custard into a large bowl to remove any curdled bits. Cool for about 30 minutes. Add the peppermint extract and, if desired, a few drops of red food color to obtain a soft pink color. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or until the custard is well chilled.
• Crush the peppermint candy. Place it in a covered container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• When the custard is well chilled, stir in the chilled crushed peppermint candy. Freeze the custard in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the ice cream to a sealed, freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving. This allows time for the ice cream to firm up.

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