CHOCOLATE MINT FANTASY

By akselden

Ingredients

• FOR MINT ICE CREAM
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound fresh peppermint (about 2 bunches)
• 8 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons creme de menthe
• FOR CHOCOLATE RIBBONS
• 1/4 pound finest-quality semisweet
• chocolate, roughly chopped

Preparation

Step 1

In 2-quart, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, cream, sugar and peppermint. Bring mixture to boil, remove from heat and steep about 1 hour or until cream mixture has peppermint flavor. Remove peppermint. Bring cream mixture back to simmer. Place egg yolks in top of double boiler or large stainless steel bowl. Slowly whisk in hot cream mixture.
Set bowl over pot of simmering water and whisk until mixture thickens enough to coat back of spoon. Remove bowl from heat and strain mixture through fine sieve. Stir in creme de menthe. Chill in refrigerator, then freeze in ice cream maker according to
manufacturer's instructions.
FOR CHOCOLATE RIBBONS
Place chocolate in stainless steel bowl. Making sure no moisture comes in contact with chocolate, place bowl over pot of barely simmering water. Stir chocolate occasionally until it is about half-melted. Remove bowl from heat and whisk until all chocolate has completely melted and is very smooth. Using offset spatula, spread 1/4 cup melted chocolate no thicker than 1/8 to 1/16 " on back of cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer about 30 seconds to allow chocolate to set up slightly and just begin to dry. Using knife, cut chocolate into 2"-wide ribbons. Using wide putty knife or metal pastry scraper held at 45° angle, scrape ribbons of chocolate off cookie sheet, forming irregularly shaped curls. Return curls to freezer to solidify a few more seconds. Store curls in sealed container in freezer until ready to use.

TO SERVE
Several hours before serving, smooth Mint Ice Cream into wells of frozen soup plates or serving bowls and return them to freezer. Just before serving, remove bowls and curls from freezer. Mound curls on top of ice cream and serve immediately.