PEPPERMINT SCHNAPPS ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Fill a medium saucepan with water.
• Bring the water to a gentle simmer.
• Place a glass bowl on top of the saucepan.
• Add the milk and cream to the bowl.
• Cut the vanilla bean in half, and then scrape the seeds into the milk and cream mixture.
• Add the pieces of vanilla bean.
• Slowly bring the milk mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
• In a separate bowl add the granulated sugar and egg yolks.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow in color.
• Slowly whisk some of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks.
• Then whisk all of the egg yolk mixture back into the bowl of milk.
• Stirring constantly, cook the milk mixture until it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 15 more minutes.
• Pour the milk mixture through a strainer into a bowl.
• Let the custard cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, remove the custard from the refrigerator.
• Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and process.
• Just before the ice cream is at the desired consistency, pour in the peppermint extract, peppermint schnapps and crushed peppermint candies.
• Continue to process the ice cream for another 5-10 minutes.
• Note: the ice-cream will be “soft-serve” at this stage.
• You can spoon the ice cream into a bowl, cover it and place it in the freezer until ready to serve.
• Let the ice cream thaw on the counter about 5 minutes before serving.