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A glass dessert cup filled with the peppermint bark ice cream with chopped chocolate and a decorative ribbon around it and lights in the background.
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Peppermint Bark Ice Cream

Make the most of the holiday season with this ultra festive peppermint bark ice cream! This luscious, creamy vanilla ice cream base is studded with crunchy peppermint bark in every bite to make one crowd-pleasing Christmas dessert. Don't save ice cream for only the summer months — you'll want to enjoy this holiday ice cream all December long.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Freezing and Chilling Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 50 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 391kcal

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Plastic wrap
  • Ice cream maker
  • Freezer safe, airtight container

Ingredients

  • 12-16 ounces peppermint bark
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 7 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Instructions

  • Finely chop the peppermint bark to get 1 cup. Set aside.
  • Whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk and white sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to whisk periodically to help dissolve the sugar. Once it simmers, turn off the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Do not bring to a boil as this can cause the milk to separate.
  • Whisk egg yolks, vanilla extract and peppermint extract until it thickens for about three minutes.
  • Temper the yolks by adding about ¼ to ½ cup of warm cream mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat this step a few times.
  • Add tempered egg-cream mixture back to the pot. Whisk constantly over medium heat and bring back to a simmer. Again, do not boil. Cook until mixture thickens and covers the back of a wooden spoon. Turn off heat.
  • Pour into a large bowl, and then directly cover the top of the custard's surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 40 degrees F or colder.
  • Pour custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. In the last couple minutes of churning, add the chopped peppermint bark to the ice cream machine.
  • Pour the churned ice cream into an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze until firm for several hours before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Overnight chilling is recommended to ensure it's plenty cold. If you need it sooner, use an ice bath to bring the temperature down to 40 degrees F or colder.
  • You can store the ice cream custard up to three days in the refrigerator before churning.
  • Keep the ice cream in an airtight container to prevent it from freezer burn. It should last for about two weeks.
  • Many ice cream bowls require freezing for 24 hours before churning, so double check your manufacturer's directions.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 245mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 168mg | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 1201IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 1mg