Chocolate Ice Cream with Almonds

With ingredients like whole milk and heavy cream, this recipe is a winner.  This has become one of my most requested homemade ice creams by my family.  And now that summer is well underway and temperatures are soaring, it sure is a nice way to cool down on a hot day.

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk

2 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sugar

8 egg yolks (save the 8 egg whites for Sawdust Pie, in another post coming soon)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

1/2 cup almonds, chopped and toasted

Directions:

Mix together the milk, cream and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and set aside for now.  Meanwhile place the 8 egg yolks along with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl and mix until the eggs become thick and pale yellow, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the egg mixture to the milk mixture in the saucepan, and heat over low heat while stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture becomes thickened and will coat a metal spoon.  This will take from 8-10 minutes or so.

Place a fine strainer over a large bowl, and pour the thickened mixture through it.  This will remove any little bits or lumps and insure that your ice cream is smooth and silky.

Stir in the vanilla extract and the Nutella and stir until it is fully incorporated.

Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it is completely cool.  When ready to make the ice cream, pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to freeze.

While ice cream is freezing, chop the almonds and place on a baking sheet to toast.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 5-6 minutes to toast.  Watch closely so they don’t brown too much.

Once ice cream is done, scoop it into sugar cones or bowls and top with toasted almonds.  Delicious!