Cacao Nib Ice Cream

This light brown ice cream has an intense dark chocolate taste, almost coffee-like in flavour. The caramelised nibs add a lovely crunch and hints of caramel sweetness. Delicious!

1. 1

   Put the milk, cream, cacao nibs, 35 g brown sugar or caster sugar and vanilla extract in a large saucepan. Heat until hot, but just before it boils (when small bubbles start to appear). Turn off the heat, cover with a lid or plate and leave for an hour to an hour and a half to infuse the milk and cream with the flavour of the cacao nibs and vanilla.
   Place a metal sieve over a clean bowl or jug and pour in the flavoured milk and cream, pressing hard on the cacao nibs in the sieve to extract as much flavour as possible. Also, run the spoon over the base of the sieve and stir any sieved cacao bite into the milk. Discard the nibs left in the sieve*. Pour the flavoured milk and cream back into the saucepan and heat gently.
   Meanwhile, beat together the egg yolks and 35 g caster sugar until pale and creamy. Pour the hot cream over the whisked yolks and sugar, while whisking, then return to the pan and place over a low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens and it leaves a clean mark when you coat the back of the spoon and drag your finger through it (this will probably take about 8-10 minutes).
   Pour the hot custard though a sieve into a jug, then pour it into a freezer-proof box with a lid (approx. 500 ml min.). Cover the surface with clingfilm to prevent a skin from forming. Leave to cool. Once completely cool (1 ½ - 2 hours), remove the clingfilm, put the lid on the box and freeze for at least 4 hours, until hard.
   Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Turn it out of the box, cut it into chunks with a sharp knife and put them in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. (To help it out, pour hot water of the bottom of the box for a few seconds – it should then slip out, if not, ease around the sides with a knife. If it is rock solid and impossible to cut, leave it to soften for a few minutes). Blitz in the food processor for 5-10 minutes until smooth and creamy. Spoon back into the box, cover and freeze again until hard, then repeat this process twice more**. It can be left overnight before blitzing in the food processor for the 2nd / 3rd / 4th time if needed.
   While the ice cream is in the freezer, make the caramelised cacao nibs. Line a tray with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat. Put the nibs and sugar in a saucepan over a low to medium heat. Stir for about 10 minutes until the sugar melts and starts to caramelise then tip onto the lined tray. Leave until hard then break up into small pieces and store in a jar until needed.
   After the final blitz of the ice cream in the food processor, when smooth and creamy, add the caramelised cacao nibs, switch on the processor very briefly to distribute it evenly, then return to the box and to the freezer. You can add it all, or reserve a couple of handfuls to scatter on top when serving, for extra crunch.
   Take the ice cream out of the freezer for about 10 minutes before serving, to soften slightly.