Dead Good Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Please forgive the photos, which do not do this recipe any justice at all.  I found the recipe for this ice cream about 4 years ago, unsurprisingly when Mr Freedom Eater was coming around for dinner.  It was a winner with everyone and there haven't been too many meals with Mr Freedom Eater when this hasn't been on offer for dessert.  On Saturday night we had again, this time it was the main attraction in do-it-yourself-ice cream-sundaes.

Dead Good Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
350g plain milk chocolate, chopped
250ml milk
250ml double cream
1/2 vanilla pod (depends on the size of the pod though, I usually use a whole one)
4 egg yolks
25g golden caster sugar

Melt 250g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of gently simmering water.

Heat the milk, double cream and vanilla pod together and bring to the boil.

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until they start to go pale.  slowly whisk the boiling milk into the egg yolks, then return the mixture to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Strain the mixture into the melted chocolate and blend well, then leave to cool.  Place in a mould or container and freeze for 2 to 3 hours.  When it is thick and half frozen, take it out, place in a blender and process to a smooth, cold mixture.

Chop the remaining chocolate very finely and stir in.  Return to the container and the freezer for a further 1 to 2 hours until frozen.

Serves 10
I can't remember where the recipe came from but it was the result of an Internet surf.  Very thankful to the genius who created the recipe though!

This recipe is very versatile.  I often swap the milk chocolate for white chocolate which is heavenly.  Play around with what you add to the setting ice cream too ... I made my version of Moose Tracks Ice Cream for Chocolate Week 2009 using this recipe as a base.