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Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream

30/10/2011

 

Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream

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Mmm, this is possibly the sexiest dessert I ever eaten
'Mmm, this is possibly the sexiest dessert I ever eaten!', my friend Sylvia purred as she slowly licked silky mint chocolate ice cream from a spoon. That was quite a compliment coming from Sylvia, given that the lady is a superb cook in her own right. But I knew she was spot on, as I have been making the ice cream in question for years and it has always received similarly rave reviews.

With the mint sprigs in pots in our courtyard peeping out to say hello to the warm sunshine after a long and bitter Canberra winter, I thought it a good time to revisit this recipe. Funny that a common and everyday herb, like mint, combined with just a few quality ingredients can form such a rich, smooth and decadent dessert. The combination of mint and chocolate is not everybody's favourite. Indeed I know at least one person who simply cannot abide it. But if you are one of the many who do appreciate the taste of mint chocolate (and there must be plenty of you), then add this ice cream to your repertoire. The recipe is from the Family Circle Herbs and Spices Cookbook, which was published by Murdoch Books in 1995. It is quick and easy to prepare (seriously, less than half an hour prep, minus freezing time).

For best results, use only quality ingredients, including a good brand of dark and milk chocolate; market-fresh cream; free range eggs and freshly picked mint. Here's what you need to do. Heat one cup of cream in a small saucepan with 1/4 cup of mint leaves (the recipe recommends chopping the mint, but you only need to chop it roughly). Stir this mixture over a low heat until the cream is just about to boil, then take it off the heat and allow it to cool. Add 100g of dark chocolate and 60g of milk chocolate (I used Belgian chocolate buttons on this occasion) to the cream/mint and stir over a low heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside briefly.

Whisk two eggs with one tablespoon of caster sugar in a small bowl until the mixture is creamy, then gradually add the warm melted chocolate cream through a strainer. Discard the mint and stir the mixture until it is well combined. Allow this mixture to cool, then churn it in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have an ice cream machine, freeze it in a metal bowl until the ice cream is just firm, then beat briefly and return to the freezer overnight. This quantity will serve four.

The author points out that 'the strong mint flavour ... is fresh and delicious and quite unlike that of mint essence. Dried mint will not give the same result'. Now I'm not sure if John Marshall, ice cream expert and owner of Frugii, would approve (note, I've saved some for you, John!), but I'd love to hear your thoughts, dear reader. Do you love or hate chocolate with mint, and please let me know if you do try the recipe.

And to finish off, let's try something just a little bit different: a mint sandwich! According to the Country Women's Association ladies in The Coronation Cookery Book (CWA NSW, 1941), 'Brown bread, cream cheese and freshly minced mint-leaves make extraordinarily good sandwiches ... Soften the cream cheese, adding cream to make it a good consistency for spreading, season with salt and a little pepper and add one tablespoon of minced mint-leaves. Use as a filling for the buttered brown bread'.
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Just a few quality ingredients needed for what is possibly the sexiest ice cream
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Heat the cream and the roughly chopped mint, no so pretty at this stage
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Churn in an ice cream machine, yeah looking good!
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The decadent results
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Mint or Mentha cordifolia, best grown in a pot, imparts a lovely flavour to sweet and savoury dishes alike
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Lisa link
30/10/2011 10:11:59 am

How very wonderful indeed! I am hoping to get an icecream maker this year!!!

Nata link
30/10/2011 03:55:20 pm

My mint seeds are just starting to sprout! Can't wait until they sprouting leaves so I can have a go at making this choc mint icecream :)

Lizzy (Good Things)
30/10/2011 04:40:08 pm

Hi there, thanks for popping in. Yay, bring on the mint leaves! Let me know once you do make it xo

Lizzy (Good Things)
30/10/2011 04:44:29 pm

Hi Lisa, thanks for calling in. So good to hear from you. Do you have a stainless steel bowl? You can make very good ice cream that way, without the ice cream machine... give it a try and let me know how you go xo

barbara link
30/10/2011 10:44:57 pm

I like mint and chocolate. I'd like to find a way to convert this to a Thermomix recipe.

Bizzy Lizzy (Good Things)
30/10/2011 11:14:45 pm

Hi Barbara, lovely to hear from you. I've tweeted your question to Quirky Cooking, she is a thermomix expert. Do try the recipe and let me know how you go. Cheers, hope you're keeping well, Lizzy

The Food Sage link
1/11/2011 12:56:29 am

There is one person in this house who loves the chocolate and mint combo - he'll love this ice cream i'm sure. I don't have an ice cream machine, but i'll give the alternative method a shot. I'll let you know how i get on.
Love the photo of the mint pot ... can almost smell it.
Thanks for sharing.

Lizzy (Good Things)
1/11/2011 08:08:36 am

Hi there, thank you for stopping by. Good to hear that you'll give it a try. Let me know how you go... bear in mind that this is a decadent treat ( :

John Marshall link
4/11/2011 03:22:04 pm

Lizzy, That chocolate and mint ice cream is amazing. You have inspired to do make a garden mint ice cream in the coming weeks...thank you so much - it's gorgeous!

Lizzy (Good Things)
4/11/2011 03:32:27 pm

John, hello, nice to see you here. Thank you for the compliment... coming from your expert self I feel very chuffed. Might just add, your ice creams and gelato is amazing, especially that banana ice cream. Amazing depth of flavour!

kathryn elliott link
18/11/2011 06:25:53 am

I made your ice cream last night Liz, and it's wonderful. Unlike any mint choc ice cream I've ever had. The mint flavour is quite wonderful - soft and yet most definitely there.

The texture is quite luscious too. Thank you for this recipe. It's one of my most successful ice creams so far.

kathryn elliott link
18/11/2011 06:32:02 am

Lots of 'wonderful's in my last comment! But it really is very, very good ice cream.

Lizzy (Good Things)
18/11/2011 01:35:21 pm

Hello there Kathryn! Wow, you must indeed love this ice cream... I'm really glad! I am posting my most favourite recipes on my blog and this is certainly one of them. Very happy to share the recipe and very happy you like it so much.

lucy link
10/4/2012 12:10:44 pm

it's gorgeous! we loved it. a distinct freshness from the mint, lovely and lingering among all the richness. a keeper, thank you!! xx

Lizzy
10/4/2012 08:40:34 pm

Lucy, how wonderful! Thanks so much for the feedback. Glad you loved it. It's a keeper in my books too! xox


Comments are closed.

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    Üdvözölöm
    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
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