S'mores Ice Cream

Ladies and gentlemen, happy Friday! You made it through another week! And what better way to reward yourself than a nice ice cream treat. With fall creeping into the air, we begin to transition into some of the prettiest parts of the year here in Virginia. There's not much better than a cool fall breeze, some time in the camping in the mountains with friends, and quintessential fires, either in your fireplace or at a campsite. And there's nothing more exciting than having a s'more by the fire. But if you don't have a fireplace (or don't like dealing with fire), I have the perfect solution for you: S'more Ice Cream!

This recipe is chock-full of s'more goodies, between chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and graham crackers. The chocolate flavor of the ice cream lends itself well to these additions.  I like to serve mine with an extra helping of marshmallows on top, just because they are such an unusual treat in our household! And one of the best parts is, this recipe is just as simple and straightforward as many of our others, although it's perhaps a bit more indulgent. So in the words of Tom from Parks and Rec, "Treat yo' self!"


Notes: I used 1 cup of cream and 2 cups milk, therefore it is less creamy.

S'mores Ice Cream (adapted from 101 Gourmet Ice Cream Creations; serves 4-6)
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar, separated
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla bourbon extract
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, separated
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup crushed graham crackers

Whisk together egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until eggs are light yellow in color and fluffy. Whisk in the rest of the sugar. Combine cream, milk, and vanilla extract, whisking together until completely combined. Transfer to a large saucepan, then combine in cocoa powder and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Whisk together on medium heat until chocolate is smooth and no lumps appear. Remove from heat and cool completely in the fridge. Place into your ice cream mixture and follow manufacturer's directions. During the last 5 minutes, add in additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips, marshmallows, and graham crackers.