- 1 1/2 C hazelnuts, toasted
- 1 C whole milk
- 2 C heavy cream
- 3/4 C sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 4 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 5 large eggs
- 1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
Rub the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel to remove as much of the papery skins as possible, then chop them into pieces the size of lemon seeds in a food processor or blender.
Warm the milk with 1 cup of the cream, the sugar and the salt in a saucepan. Once warm, remove form the heat and add the chopped hazelnuts. Cover an let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Put the milk chocolate in a large bowl. Heat the remaining 1 C cream in a medium saucepan until it just begins to boil. Pour it over the milk chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set a mesh strainer over the top.
Pour the hazelnut-infused milk through a strainer into a medium saucepan, squeezing the nuts firmly with your hands to extract as much fo the flavorful liquid as possible. Discard the hazelnuts.
Rewarm the hazelnut-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks in to the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof aptula over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.
Pour the custard throught he strainer and stir it into the milk chocolate mixutre. Add the vanilla and stir over an ice bath until cool.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturere’s instructions.
The Perfect Scoop