Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream

Prepare

1. Add a 9x5” loaf pan to the freezer to chill. If your freezer is large enough, you can also add a large mixing bowl (for when you whip the cream). If not, just make sure it's not warm or hot.

Dissolve peppermints

1. In a small saucepan, add milk, granulated sugar, and about 1/4 cup of the crushed peppermint candies. Heat over LOW or MED LOW until sugar has dissolved and the mints have dissolved and turned the milk mixture a pink shade.

Cool mixture

1. The milk mixture needs to chill, and you don't want to place a hot pan in the refrigerator. So here's what I like to do:
2. Fill a rimmed baking sheet or a baking dish most of the way up with ice cubes. Place the saucepan with the peppermint milk mixture on top of the ice cubes and leave it there to cool. Stir it occasionally as it cools.
3. Mixture needs to be room temperature, or cold. So feel free to use it once it's room temp, or add it the refrigerator to further chill it.

Whip the cream

1. Add the cold heavy whipping cream to the cold large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on MED-HIGH speed until stiff peaks form. **see Chef Tips note #3 for more information on stiff peaks**

Fold together

1. Add the peppermint milk mixture, then gently fold together. This is most easily done with a rubber spatula and stirred gently in an over-under circular motion.

Add to pan and freeze

1. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Cover tightly, and freeze for about 2-3 hours.

Add stir-ins and toppings

1. Remove loaf pan from the freezer and stir in most of the remaining crushed peppermints, and most of the finely chopped chocolate.
2. The toppings are added during this step to help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Sprinkle remaining peppermint and chocolate over the top, then cover tightly again, and freeze for another 4-6 hours, or overnight.