Goodness. People other than myself like Peppermint Ice Cream. I am in shock! Yummmy!

Any chance I get to whip out my ice cream maker...

It became my favorite toy over this past summer. With a great recipe, the taste between homemade and store-bought is incomparable. And I'll second David on that hot fudge idea.

"Peppermintiness"? You so funny Elise...

Alanna, I was impressed with this method, because this circumvents the need to put the custard in the refrigerator for a few hours before you can start churning the mixture. I think it's an innovation! :)

I have been craving peppermint ice cream lately and was just getting ready to whip up a batch...I'll try this! Also, my family used to make this in the heat of the summer, and it was my favorite!! Really great way to cool off the day!

hi Alanna: I recommend this method since if the ice cream custard starts cooking too quickly, immediately straining it into the cream, it instantly stops the cooking. Plus the batch of custard cools down quicker (since you're not heating up all the cream)...then you can eat your ice cream faster!

Elise... I'm not clear on what the point of the sieve was, and what it was used for later in the recipe? but it sounds yummy!

Note from Elise: Once the custard base has cooked enough (coat the back of a wooden spoon) you pour it through a sieve into a bowl of cream over an ice bath. The sieve catches any clumps of the custard that may have formed.

Lauren - I'm from Australia too. I know what you mean about icecream makers not being common. I did some research on the internet and tried this technique today for making ice cream without an ice cream maker and it worked really well:

1. Do steps one to seven of Elise's recipe.
2. Pour a cup of the ice cream mixture into a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag. Zip the bag closed, and put it into another sandwich bag for safety, and zip that one closed as well.
3. Fill a larger sized zip-locked bag about one third full of ice cubes. Add a cup of salt as well.
4. Zip the large bag closed, and wrap it in a towel to keep fingers from getting too cold.
Make a bag for everyone (this recipe will make enough for three or four servings, and you can double or quadruple the recipe if you are having a party).
Now have each person squish the little bag around in the salt and ice, making sure that the ice contacts the little bag as much as possible, and that the little bag gets lots of kneading, to keep the ice crystals tiny, so the ice cream is very smooth.
The kneading stage takes 10 minutes. You can let the ice cream sit in the ice for another 5 minutes if you like harder ice cream.
You will know the ice cream is done by feeling the mixture become a paste instead of a liquid. When you take the little bag out of the ice, wipe off the salt water, and then remove the outer bag carefully, so you don't get salt in the ice cream. The little bag will stand up in the bowl, because it is a frozen paste.

There you go! It's really fun to do too! :P Have fun!

Wendy / David: Thanks for the thoughts, good ones. Since I make ice cream often, I'm always curious about new techniques. Somehow I've never overcooked custard, perhaps because I was about 6 when my Mom would make me stir the custard while she made supper; still I can see that reasoning. I've also been a student of the Alton Brown School of Ice Cream which says that the time in the frig is actually important for, hmm, is it reducing the crystallization? I remember the lesson, not the logic. Anyway: very interesting. And if my local ice cream shop were still open, I'd be heading over for a scoop of peppermint NOW, the food science all aside. PS Anna, your technique would be great fun with kids. Christmas Eve, I'm thinking ... in the basement.

This looks fabulous! I love this time of year because of the peppermint, eggnog and cinnamon ice cream flavors. Now, thanks to you (and David) I can have my peppermint all year long.

Peppermint ice cream with my grandmother's
fudge sauce was a Christmas tradition in my family. I have always wanted to try and make my own. Thanks for the recipe. Happy Holidays!

Ooooh, Elise! This ice cream was absolutely divine. I made it for dessert after Christmas dinner and it was perfect- creamy, smooth and rich. Every time I've made ice cream in the past it's always been too watery so I was very proud of myself (and grateful for this recipe) when this batch turned out great. And there's just something about that bright, cheerful pink color that makes me feel so very happy..... :-)

Another way to make ice cream without a maker is to use a large coffee tin with the ice and salt mixture and then a smaller tin inside with the ice cream mixture. This method sounds like there is less chance of explosion then the ziplock bag method. We then just sat down on the floor and rolled the tin back and forth while having tea and chatting, until done. It was awhile ago that I made it and I don't remember how long it took, but we did replace the ice a few times.

I love the sounds of peppermint and chocolate. Can't wait to try it!

I had never heard of Peppermint ice cream until my co-worker told me it was her favorite, but she could only get it this time of year and then it was gone until the next season. I love to cook and she doesn't so I went on line and found this recipe. I brought it to work and I admit, it is very good ice cream, (strawberry is my favorite), and I'm sorry to say I've ruined my co-worker from eating store bought peppermint ice cream. She says it just isn't the same, that this ice cream is creamy and infusued with flavor. I'm making her some for Thankgsgiving as a surprise. Love your website.

Hello Elise, I googled peppermint ice cream and found your site! Both the recipe and the site look really good. My mom loves peppermint ice cream and I wanted to make some for her. Even with my limited experience with homemade icecream, I can tell your recipe will be great. Thanks.

Just made this last night and it was great!

Used a kitchen aid ice cream attachment.

If making it again, I'd be more careful with putting in the crushed candy canes. I put them in at 12 min of churning (out of 25), when the viscosity was good for supporting the candy. However, the candy got pretty much pulverized (seemingly dissolved) during the rest of the churning. It improved the flavor, but I had hoped for little chunks of candy cane in the ice cream.

Maybe hand-mix in the candy cane when almost done churning in the ice cream maker?

As the recipe indicates, you do not fold in the crushed candy cane until AFTER the ice cream has churned. ~Elise

Very very good. Comes out beautiful, I would, however put more pepperment extract or peppermint oil to make it more minty. I added a few drops of red food colouring, crushed candy canes. Did it with my white cuisinart ice cream maker. Thanks. Linda

Hi Elise. I made the ice cream on Sunday night and it was perfect while churning. It was exactly what I think it is supposed to be. Thick soft serve, luxurious. I scooped that out and put in a plastic container. After folding in candy cane crushed. I was expecting that to really get hard and it hasn't. It is a bit harder than soft serve. Tastes great. I put the Freezer bowl back in freezer on Monday night after I had let it thaw out, cleaned and dried it. It is now Wednesday morning and the bowl still sloshes. It is not ready to make ice cream yet. So, it wasn't right after the other. I made the mint batch only. It is a cusinart Ice 20. The bowl was initially frozen (I shook it and you could not hear the liquid), therefore I was able to churn the mint ice cream. How long does it take to freeze again after it has been used. Linda

Hi Linda, I am not an expert in ice cream makers, but I do have this model and the instructions say to freeze it for at least 24 hours before using again. As for why your bowl is taking longer to freeze, I haven't a clue. But if your ice cream is also not getting harder, then I would look at your freezer temperature to make sure it is low enough, and there are no leaks in the freezer. Good luck! ~Elise