Chocolate Ice Cream

Nobody needs it and everybody wants it. Ice cream, of course. And, chocolate ice cream has got to be my all time favorite...at least running side by side with pistachio.

I gifted myself with "The Perfect Scoop," a wonderful cookbook written by David Lebovitz whom I follow on his blog and on Facebook. David lives in Paris and is one fantastic foodie. Can you imagine, a whole book on sorbet and ice cream? Well, I am on my fourth recipe now and this one is just about my favorite, though I really did like that Nectarine Sorbet also.

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

• 2 cups heavy cream


• 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder


• 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped


• 1 cup whole milk


• 3/4 cup sugar


• Pinch of salt


• 5 large egg yolks


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, the reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour into a large bowl.

Warm the milk, sugar and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture coats the spoon. Pour through a strained that sits on top of the chocolate mixture bowl and then stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in vanilla and chill.

Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to directions.