i die

freshly churned chocolate ice cream

after the success of the peach ice cream, i decided to tackle chocolate. the recipe i used called for chopped dark chocolate (i used half 70% and half 60% cocoa solids because that's what i had) to be melted in milk on the stove. in another saucepan, i was directed to boil cream, but i actually used a combination of cream and my favorite chocolate milk.

the most interesting step to me was to beat the six egg yolks and sugar for 10 minutes! could that be a typo? i'll say it again--where is my stand mixer!? well, actually when you beat egg yolks for that long, their properties stabilize and prevent them from curdling when heated. cooking the egg mixture and cream together is the final step, and the scariest part of making ice cream--there's that risk of curdling. whipping the eggs for so long eliminates the need to be so cautious (nervous!), and also made the custard incredibly thick and creamy, almost pudding consistency. after chilling in the freezer, i churned it. because that's the rule. towards the end, i embellished with some toffee bits. what a delightfully rewarding afternoon in the kitchen that was!

i know what'll be waiting for me when i get home from work tonight... besides that stinky dog. anyone want to join me?