Proposal-versary

We knew we would have to depend on chocolate chips and pecans from care packages, what we didn't anticipate was the lack of marshmallows in Honiara.  (This year was a wee bit warmer than our last two proposal-versaries.)

So we did what we always do, we figured out how to make it work.  Aaron suggested we substitute freshly grated and toasted coconut instead of marshmallows for our traditional proposal-versary rocky road ice cream.  I will never go back to marshmallows again.

Tropical Rocky Road Ice Cream

loosely based on "The Ultimate Ice Cream Book"

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips (we prefer semi-sweet or dark chocolate)

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup freshly grated coconut, toasted

Place the sugar, eggs, and cocoa in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan.  With the food processor running, slowly pour the hot milk into the chocolate mixture through the feed tube.  Process until well blended.  Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.  Stir constantly with a whisk until the custard thickens slightly.  Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble.  Remove from the heat and pour the hot chocolate custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl.  Allow the custard to cool slightly, then stir in the cream and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.

Stir in the chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut, then freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.  When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat.  For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours (if you can wait that long).