Okay, boys and girls. I used an electric Cuisinart frozen yogurt-ice cream machine. Here's the "rest of the story:"
[FONT="]3 cups half-and-half[/FONT]
[FONT="]1 vanilla bean[/FONT]
[FONT="]¾ cup granulated sugar[/FONT]
[FONT="]¾ cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa[/FONT]
[FONT="]3 large eggs[/FONT]
[FONT="]1 tsp. pure vanilla extract[/FONT]
[FONT="]1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pour half-and-half into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds into the saucepan; drop the pod in, too. Over low heat, cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not scorch. Turn off heat. Remove the vanilla pod and discard or rinse and reserve for another use. Remove 1 cup hot mixture, then add chocolate chips. Whisk until the chips have completely melted.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and cocoa to break up any cocoa lumps. Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer on MEDIUM speed until the mixture is thickened like mayonnaise.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In a small, slow stream, beating on LOW, add the reserved hot mixture to the chocolate/egg mixture. Beat until completely incorporated.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pour the tempered chocolate/egg mixture into the saucepan. Whisk to blend. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens to about the consistency of chocolate pudding. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pour into a bowl, placing plastic wrap directly on top of custard and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Scrape into ice cream machine and churn for about 25 to 30 minutes or to the consistency you prefer. Serve immediately for soft-serve or place in the freezer to freeze harder. Store any leftover ice cream in the freezer in a container with a tight-fitting lid.[/FONT]
[FONT="]KATIE’S DUTCH CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM[/FONT]
[FONT="](Serves 6 to 8)[/FONT]
[FONT="]1 vanilla bean[/FONT]
[FONT="]¾ cup granulated sugar[/FONT]
[FONT="]¾ cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa[/FONT]
[FONT="]3 large eggs[/FONT]
[FONT="]1 tsp. pure vanilla extract[/FONT]
[FONT="]1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pour half-and-half into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds into the saucepan; drop the pod in, too. Over low heat, cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not scorch. Turn off heat. Remove the vanilla pod and discard or rinse and reserve for another use. Remove 1 cup hot mixture, then add chocolate chips. Whisk until the chips have completely melted.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and cocoa to break up any cocoa lumps. Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer on MEDIUM speed until the mixture is thickened like mayonnaise.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In a small, slow stream, beating on LOW, add the reserved hot mixture to the chocolate/egg mixture. Beat until completely incorporated.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pour the tempered chocolate/egg mixture into the saucepan. Whisk to blend. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens to about the consistency of chocolate pudding. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Pour into a bowl, placing plastic wrap directly on top of custard and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Scrape into ice cream machine and churn for about 25 to 30 minutes or to the consistency you prefer. Serve immediately for soft-serve or place in the freezer to freeze harder. Store any leftover ice cream in the freezer in a container with a tight-fitting lid.[/FONT]