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Tarragon and Mint Ice Cream

Servings: 2 pints

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch fresh tarragon—mostly leaves
  • 1 large bunch fresh mint—mostly leaves
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Bruise tarragon and mint with the back of a chef’s knife to help release their oils. Place herbs into a medium saucepan. Pour in the heavy cream and milk and bring to a near boil. Be sure to watch carefully and remove from heat before it comes to a full boil.
  • Remove from heat, cover, and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour. When cool, strain mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a medium bowl. Press the mint leaves against the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon to release as much oil as possible. Discard the herbs and set the strained cream mixture aside.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth and pale yellow.
  • Return the strained cream mixture to the saucepan and stir over medium heat until just beginning to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Temper the hot cream into the egg yolks slowly, whisking as you pour. Return mixture to the saucepan, and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the ice cream base has thickened considerably and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
  • Set the bowl in an ice bath, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until the base has cooled. Place ice cream base in an airtight container and set in the refrigerator until it has completely chilled.
  • Remove the ice cream base from the refrigerator. Churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.