Creamy swirls of flavorful cold dairy delight melting in your mouth, ice cream is the treat which we love as children and continue to thrill our taste buds with as adults. Whether the choice is basic vanilla or the latest cool flavor to match a movie or passing fad, ice cream soothes many palettes over the world.

Ice cream is a favorite snack for many and choosing from different flavors makes it even more fun to enjoy. This guide page will provide steps for how to make mint chocolate chip ice cream which is a favorite specialty flavor in many ice cream shops. The mint flavor can be achieved through the use of various food flavorings or extracts or can be found in actual mint herbs which are steamed to release the flavoring into the cream before the mixture is frozen.

If ice cream making is something you would like to attempt, invest in a freezer or a small portable ice cream maker and try a few recipes. Most freezers come with a few recipes, or many can be found on websites. Once you buy a freezer, plan to always keep the tin/bowl that is used to make the cream in your freezer. For the best, most efficient ice cream making the bowl from the freezer should be as cold as possible when you start. Ripening tips are providing in the instructions on this guide page. For ice cream of the best consistency, remove from the freezer it is made in, and place in a flat rectangular pan with plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals from forming. http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/06/10-ten-tips-for-making-homemade-ice-cream-success.html

Ice cream is best made with fresh ingredients. Choose a milk and cream which have just been purchased for the best flavor. The mint leaves can be used in smaller quantities by increasing the peppermint extract. The fresher the leaves, the more potent they will be when prepared. For a milder taste, decrease the amount of leaves. Food coloring is not required but the color green is often associated with this flavor of ice cream. Fewer drops will make a lighter appearance.

• 2 cups 2% milkhttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Mint-Chocolate-Chip-Ice-Cream/Detail.aspx
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 3 drops green food coloring (optional)
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 cups of fresh mint leaves (not stems), rinsed, drained, packedhttp://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mint_chocolate_chip_ice_cream/

1. Heat mint leaves with the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup heavy cream until just steaming but not boiling.
2. Remove from heat and rest the ingredients for 30 minutes
3. Steam a second time for 15 minutes. If you desire a less intense flavor, skip the second steaming.
4. Pour the mixture through a colander into a mixing bowl pressing the leaves to get the moisture out of them.
5. Add sugar, salt and and extracts and mix
6. If sugar does not dissolve complete, reheat the mixture.
7. Cool mixture in refrigerator until chilled.
8. Add food coloring after chilling, one drop at a time until color desired is reached
9. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturers directions
10. Add chocolate chips after mixture is frozen

When your ice cream maker starts to have a hard time turning it is probably ready to be stopped. Check for consistency. If the ice cream is soft serve style, the freezer portion of preparation is done. At this point, you will remove the paddle from the can, stir in any extra ingredients, and scoop the cream into a freezer type container. Place a layer of plastic over the ice cream, cover the container with the lid and wait a few hours to eat. This process is called the ripening of the ice cream. You can certainly eat the ice cream immediately but the texture is more firm with the ripening. http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Homemade-Ice-Cream/Detail.aspx

Ice cream makers have changed over the years, becoming more electronic as time goes on. Old versions of hand cranked machines have been replaced in part by electric churners. Many of the makers modeled after the old style still contain a paddle or dasher which churns the ice cream. Rock salt is used to lower the temperature of the ice and help to freeze the cream quicker. http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--38317/ice-cream-maker.asp

Homemade ice cream may be cream type or custard type. A custard type is typically cooked using egg yolks. It is an ice cream which is much creamier but is also much higher in fat content. http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1382/custard-style-homemade-ice-cream.asp