Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

Summer here isn't exactly like the summers I remember from growing up in the Deep South. In fact, they may be just the opposite - instead of 105 degree heat and 100% humidity, we have thick fog and 60 degrees. Basically, I spend most of the summer in sweatshirts, except for the occasional, bright, gorgeous exception.

As Mark Twain once said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."

Still, it's summer somewhere! Therefore (ergo), I bring you my favorite ice cream recipe of all time: Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream. You hardly taste the Guinness - just a deep tang beneath the creamy chocolate.



Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

This recipe is from David Lebovitz' book The Perfect Scoop and trust me, if you like to make ice cream, you need this book.

7 oz. Milk Chocolate, finely-chopped
1 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Sugar
Pinch of Salt
4 large Egg Yolks
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Guinness Stout
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1.) Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl set over an ice bath, and set a mesh strainer on top.
2.) Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.(You're looking for the first whisps of steam to rise up from the surface.)
3.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks.
4.) Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yoks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
5.) Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. (You're looking for the ability to draw a line in the center of the custard on the spatula, that then does not fill itself back in.)
6.) Pour the custard through the strainer over the milk chocolate, then stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
7.) Whisk in the cream, and then the Guinness and the vanilla.
8.) Stir over the ice bath until cool.
9.) Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. (This step is important. If the custard's too warm, it won't freeze in most kitchen ice cream makers. I chill mine overnight, but go for at least 8 hours.)
10.) Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.