Chocolate Almond Gelato

Chocolate Almond Gelato:

2 1/4 cups whole milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ounces Ghirardelli's bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 extra-large egg yolks

2 tablespoons Kahlua

2 teaspoons almond extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 Large Almond Hershey Bar, roughly chopped

1/2 bag of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

First, heat the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar in a 2 quart sauce pan, until the sugar dissolves and the milk starts to simmer. Then add the cocoa powder and finely chopped bitter sweet chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour into a heat-proof measuring cup.

Place the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and very thick. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the egg and chocolate mixture back into the 2-quart sauce pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Using a candy thermometer, heat it until 180 degrees. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

Pour the mixture through a sieve into a bowl and stir in the Kahlua, almond extract, and salt. Place a piece of plastic directly on top of the custard and chill in the refrigerator completely (about thirty minutes).

Pour the custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions.

If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a wide stainless steal bowl with an airtight lid (a plastic bowl with an airtight lid works too) and let sit in the freezer for one hour. Stir in the roughly chopped chocolate and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and freeze in covered containers.

Allow the Gelato to thaw slightly before serving.