Peppermint Ice Cream (With Peppermint Pieces)

I found this recipe online somewhere and I wanted to post it here for safe keeping (and sharing). I love peppermint ice cream, so this looks great.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 1 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 8  large  egg yolks
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  peppermint extract
• 1⁄2 cup  crushed  candy canes or 1⁄2 cup  hard  peppermint candy

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, sugar, and salt. Make sure the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. (Make sure you do this slowly, or the eggs will be cooked from the heat of the milk mixture).
3. Scrape the egg-and-milk mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. This should take 5-7 minutes.
4. Pour the heavy cream into a bowl. Then, slowly pour the custard into the chilled heavy cream. Cool for about half an hour in the refrigerator.
5. When the mixture is chilled, add peppermint extract. You may need more depending on your tastes and the strength of the extract you use.
6. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
7. Near the end of the freezing process, add in the crushed peppermint candy.
8. Store in an airtight container in your freezer.