Tsokolate Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
*8 chocolate tablea chopped fine (the amount needed depends on your brand of tablea, see note above)
pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour the milk into a large bowl and place a mesh strainer on top of the bowl. Set aside

Warm the cream with the chopped tablea in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the tablea are completely melted. Do not boil this mixture. When tablea has melted, reduce heat to lowest setting then stir in the pinch of salt.

In another medium bowl, beat the egg yolks together. Slowly pour the warm cream/tablea mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks/cream/tablea mixture back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon like so:

Pour the custard through the strainer and into the bowl of milk. Add the vanilla extract and stir the mixture over an ice bath.

Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight, then churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

To make Filipino Rocky Road Ice Cream: Fold in a cup each of ube marshmallows and peanuts after the ice cream has been churned.