Mint Cookie Crunch Ice Cream

Decadent mint ice cream swirled with crumbled thin mint wafer cookies

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cookies, Desserts, Ice Cream, Sweets

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Chilling & Freezing Time: 10 45

Servings: Servings

Calories: 370kcal

Equipment

Ice Cream Maker
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Large, Heavy-Bottomed Pot
Fork
Wire Whisk
Rubber Spatula
Large Bowl, filled with Ice
Medium Bowl
Quart-Sized Container, with Lid (or plastic wrap)
1-½ Quart Ice Cream Container

Ingredients

2 Cups Whole Milk
1-¼ Cups Heavy Cream
1-½ Tbsp. Cornstarch
2 oz. Cream Cheese
Pinch Sea Salt
½ Cup Granulated White Sugar
1-½ Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp. Peppermint Extract
2-3 drops Green Food Coloring, if desired
6 Thin Mints (or other mint chocolate wafer cookies), chopped

Instructions

Note: If you are using an ice cream maker that requires the canister to be fully frozen prior to use, make sure to put it in your freezer at least 48 hours beforehand. The ice cream maker I use here at home does not require pre-freezing. Its fully automatic and has a commercial-quality compressor built in, which allows you to make batch after batch. If you enjoy making homemade ice cream, it's definitely worth the investment!
Gather all of your ingredients, along with your heavy-bottomed pot.
Over medium-low heat, pour all but about a quarter cup of the milk (does not have to be exact), the heavy cream, the sugar, the corn syrup and the vanilla extract into the pot and warm the ingredients.
To the reserved milk, mix in the cornstarch until you have a thickened slurry. Set aside.
Once the pot begins to steam, increase the temperature to a very low simmer. Remove the pot from the heat, whisk in the cream cheese, the cornstarch slurry, and a pinch of sea salt, then return the pot to the stove. Bring the mixture to a light boil for a few minutes, just to make sure the cornstarch has cooked, and the cream cheese has melted and been incorporated. The ice cream base should be thickened slightly.
In the meantime, set up your ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water, and place a smaller bowl in the center.
Remove the pot from heat and whisk the ice cream base furiously to speed along the cooling process. It doesn't need to cool completely at this stage, just enough so that it's no longer steaming, maybe about 10 minutes.
Once the ice cream base has cooled enough that it's not hot to the touch, pour the liquid into the center bowl, then add in just 2-3 drops of the green food coloring, along with the peppermint extract. A little bit of color goes along way, and adding in the extract now will ensure that the flavoring doesn't cook out while the mixture is still hot.
Be mindful not to add more extract than ¼ tsp- less is definitely more when it comes to peppermint extract. The scent and flavor will be very strong at first but will dissipate some during the churning process, but adding more than the recipe calls for may lead to your ice cream tasting more like minty-fresh toothpaste. Whisk everything together until you have a smooth, cohesive green liquid with no streaks.
Pour the cooled ice cream base into a quart-sized container with a tight-fitting lid, or a bowl that can be covered tightly with plastic wrap. Place the container in the refrigerator and allow it to chill and set, a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
Chefs Note: If you're in a hurry, keep the mixture in the fridge for about an hour, and then move it into the freezer for another hour or so. The texture (and temperature) of the base is an important step in ensuring the perfect texture of your finished ice cream, so try not to rush this step if you can help it.
After your ice cream base has had time to chill, you can begin to set up your ice cream maker. Pour the mixture directly into the base, following the instructions of your particular equipment, and begin to churn. The process takes anywhere from 30-60 minutes. Have your ice cream container ready to go, so you can quickly move your ice cream directly from the machine to the container, add your mix-ins, and pop it into the freezer for the final stage.
You'll know that your churned ice cream is done once the mixture is thick and creamy, similar to the texture of soft serve, the machine has started to slow down a bit, and/or you may be able to see that some of the ice cream has begun freezing along the sides of the canister. You want to avoid over-mixing, as this may damage your machine.
Carefully spoon out the ice cream and place it directly into your ice cream container, layering chopped mint chocolate wafer cookies as you go. Secure the lid and pop the container into the freezer as soon as you can to avoid allowing the ice cream to melt. For the ideal, finished ice cream consistency, you'll want to allow your ice cream to freeze for about 6 hours before it's a perfectly scoopable consistency.

Nutrition