Knock Your Socks Off Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

(There are no pictures to go with this post because this ice cream disappears long before a camera can be found.)

Labor Day may be the official end of summer, but that doesn’t mean the frosty treats have to end. This double chocolate peanut butter ice cream will have you feeling like it’s the dog days of summer all over again.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

3 cups half & half, divided
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
3 Tbs. cornstarch
¾ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter, divided

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of half & half, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Heat until milk steams, but don’t let it boil.

In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup of half & half and the cornstarch, getting out all the lumps.

In a slow stream, add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and cocoa mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a low boil, allowing it to thicken. Remove from flame.

Separately, heat the remaining ½ cup of half & half. Once it is near boiling, pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for one minute and then stir together.

Add the melted chocolate chips to the cooling ice cream base. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold. Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Just before you remove the ice cream from the ice cream maker, drizzle in ¼ dup of peanut butter. Don’t over mix. You want a nice ribbon of peanut butter running through the ice cream.

Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and fold in the remaining ¼ cup of peanut butter. Cover and freeze until solid.

Try not to eat the whole thing by yourself. (This is the hardest part.)

What I love about this recipe (besides the fact that it is the most delicious ice cream EVER) is that it doesn’t require eggs. I don’t need to be stressing about accidently curdling my custard when really I want to be anticipating the pleasure of eating ice cream. Every part of ice cream should be a stress-free experience, in my opinion.

This recipe was adapted from http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2008/07/double-chocolate-peanut-butter-ice-cream/