Description
Custard-base mint and vanilla ice cream layered in the pint for a striking swirl effect, featuring milk, eggs, sugar, mint and vanilla extracts plus xanthan gum, churned via Ninja Creami for bright herbal notes in a rich dense base. Sugar balance ensures smooth texture at serving temperature. Simple prep in 25 minutes followed by freezing and processing.
Cultural Background
French-style custard ice cream traces its roots to 17th-century France and Italy where cooks first enriched cream and milk bases with egg yolks for luxurious texture, a technique refined in Parisian salons and later popularized across Europe and America as a premium frozen dessert. Mint and vanilla flavor combinations emerged in the 19th century with the rise of commercial extracts and herb-infused ices in Victorian England and the United States, blending herbal traditions from Mediterranean mint cordials with New World vanilla. The Ninja Creami method adapts these classic custards to modern home freezing technology while preserving the dense, scoopable quality of traditional French glace.
Recipe Info
PREP TIME: 25 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 24 hours 35 minutes (including freezing)
SERVINGS: 4
DIFFICULTY: Medium
Ingredients
- 400 ml whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (divided)
- 1 1/2 tsp mint extract (divided)
- 1/4 tsp stevia powder (optional, for extra sweetness)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat 400 ml whole milk over medium heat until it reaches 80°C (176°F) or steams gently but does not boil, stirring occasionally.
- In a heatproof bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 80 g granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp xanthan gum until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly temper the yolk mixture by whisking in 100 ml of the hot milk, then pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
- Cook the custard over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it reaches 82-85°C (180-185°F) and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes; do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat and divide the hot custard evenly into two bowls (approximately 200 ml each).
- Stir 1 tsp vanilla extract into one bowl and 3/4 tsp mint extract into the other bowl; add 1/8 tsp stevia to each if using for balanced sweetness.
- Cool both custards to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully chilled.
- Pour the vanilla custard into the Ninja Creami Deluxe pint first, then gently layer the mint custard on top to create distinct bands; do not stir.
- Secure the lid, freeze the pint upright on a level surface for 24 hours until fully solid.
- Remove from freezer, install the Creami paddle, and process on the "Ice Cream" setting; if crumbly, add 1-2 tbsp milk and respin on "Re-spin."
- For enhanced swirl, briefly run a knife through the processed ice cream before serving.
Tips
- Mix the sugar and xanthan gum thoroughly before adding to yolks to prevent clumping and ensure even stabilizer distribution for smoother texture.
- Avoid overcooking the custard past 85°C to prevent egg scrambling; use a thermometer for precision and immediate cooling in an ice bath if needed.
- For less sweet results, reduce sugar to 60 g and increase stevia slightly; for sweeter, add up to 1/2 tsp more stevia without altering freeze point significantly since stevia contributes negligible PAC compared to sucrose.
Nutrition
Calories: 180
Protein: 6 g
Carbs: 22 g
Fat: 7 g
Tags
Ice Cream / Frozen Dessert