Junior Mint Ice Cream & The Big Three-O

Someone I know is turning the ripe age of THIRTY today. I can’t believe it. Luckily he doesn’t look like he’s thirty. And he sure doesn’t act like thirty.

And I am sure he won’t act like a 30 year old when we go spend a few days in Cabo with all his other 30 year old friends.

How cool are these glasses? I want some when I turn 30. But let’s not forgot- that’s not for a whole 4 years.

The poor birthday boy has to travel for work all day, so he will only have time for dessert. He special requested Junior Mint ice cream (don’t forget his Junior Mint Brownie invention that he is very proud of) so I decided to get out the ice cream maker and make the real stuff. I think we will pair his minty deliciousness with a warm chocolate lava cake and call it a night.

Junior Mint Brownies

Recipe adapted from Monster Mama

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 2/3 c milk
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 3 drops green food coloring
• 1 c chopped Junior Mint candies (2 big boxes)

Beat the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until they become a pale yellow color, then add in the flour and salt.

In a medium saucepan, warm the milk until it starts to simmer. Slowly add the milk to the egg mixture, beating the whole time to make sure that you don’t cook the eggs! Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and simmer on medium heat, stirring the whole time. Let the mixture thicken to where it sticks on the back of the spoon (approx. 5 minutes).

Place a bowl underneath your strainer and strain the custard to get rid of any clumps there may be.

Give the custard a few minutes to cool, then add in the heavy whipping cream, food coloring, and extracts. Now pour the custard into your ice cream maker and follow the directions for your personal ice cream maker.

Chop up your junior mints and throw them into the ice cream maker after about 5 minutes.

The ice cream maker will make some loud noises for about a half hour while spinning that custard into beautiful, creamy ice cream!

Happy Birthday Jon! You ready to start acting your age?!