Ok, maybe I'm getting a little carried away with my fascination with Valrhona's new chocolate, Coeur de Guanaja, but I can't help myself. Here's another version of simple chocolate ice cream made with it. It's a little more intense than the previous version, and a little richer.
Intensely Chocolate Ice Cream
Makes about 1 quart
6 ounces Coeur de Guanaja, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a gentle boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir the mixture until completely smooth.
2. In the same saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and salt and heat until warm. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the yolks. Gradually whisk the warm milk into the yolks, then scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the chocolate mixture. Stir until smooth and stir in the vanilla. Place bowl in an ice bath and stir until cool. Cover bowl and chill for at least 6 hours.
3. Process in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
