Printer's Devil Ice Cream
Before the digital age, print shops were crowded, dirty places that relied on the labor of several professionals. The apprentices clothing, skin, and hair would become stained with printer’s ink. These stained boys acquired a nickname: printer’s devils. In spite of this less-than-savory nickname, printer’s apprentices were not just filthy errand boys. They were actually learning a trade that required a careful disposition, keen intelligence, and a high level of literacy.
As a tribute to the apprentices who became printers, and the printers who laid the foundation for modern digital publishing, Printer’s Devil Ice Cream is stained dark with cocoa powder (which tastes considerably better than printer’s ink).
Ingredients
| 3 cups | Whole milk |
| 3 cups | Heavy cream |
| 1 cup | Cocoa powder * |
| 6 | Egg yolks |
| 1 1/4 cups | Sugar |
| 1 tablespoon | Vanilla extract |
| 6 ounces | Dark chocolate |
| 1 tablespoon | Vegetable oil |
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Steps
In a saucepan, heat 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of cream over medium-low heat for several minutes. Stir occasionally, and do not let it boil. When the milk mixture is thoroughly heated, whisk in the cocoa powder, and allow it to cook until the powder is completely dissolved.
While the cocoa and milk are cooking, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Temper the eggs by whisking them and spooning the warm cocoa and milk mixture into the bowl. After several spoonfuls, add the tempered eggs into the saucepan. Cook the mixture on medium heat until it begins to thicken and it coats the back of a spoon. Do not overcook it, or you will end up with a delicious, thick custard that your ice cream machine will not want to churn at all.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into a large bowl through a wire mesh strainer. Cover the bowl and leave it on the counter to cool for about an hour. If you are in a hurry, you can cool it quicker in an ice bath. Add in the remaining milk and cream, stir thoroughly, and refrigerate for at least four hours (chilling overnight is best).
Freeze the chilled mixture according to your ice cream maker’s directions. Right after you start the freezing process, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring intermittently, until it is smooth. Stir in the vegetable oil.
When the ice cream is almost frozen, slowly drizzle about half of the melted chocolate into the churning ice cream. The chocolate should break up and form fudgy chunks. When the ice cream is complete, it should be the texture of soft-serve ice cream. Transfer it from your ice cream maker into a freezer container, an inch of ice cream at a time, followed by a generous drizzle of melted chocolate. Continue layering the ice cream and chocolate until you run out of both. Freeze the ice cream for about 4 hours to get the best texture.