Beauty School Knockout (Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundae)

Pink Peppermint Ice Cream

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• roughly 1/2 cup of chopped peppermint candies (We like King Leo peppermint sticks)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (the best quality you can find)
• about 1/3 of a package of chocolate cookies (We like Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers), roughly broken

1. Heat the milk, cream and peppermint candy in a large pot over medium heat, until the peppermints are dissolved, and the mixture is steamy.
2. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar and salt in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment for about five minutes (the yolks should be very thick, pale and glossy).
3. When the milk mixture is ready, add a small amount of it to the egg mixture, whisking all the while so as to not scramble the eggs. Add the rest of the liquid gradually as the mixer continues to run, creating a homogenous mixture.
4. Pour the mixture back into the pot, and cook slowly over medium heat--stirring constantly--until the mixture registers 170 degrees on a candy thermometer. Whatever you do, do not let the mixture boil.
5. As soon as the custard is ready, pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, in order to remove any coagulated egg bits.
6. Stir in the peppermint extract, and allow to cool. Chill until very cold, at least four hours.
7. Churn in an ice cream maker, according to manufacturer's instructions.
8. During the last minute of churning, gently fold in the broken cookie pieces.

Devilish Hot Fudge Sauce

• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 ounce of chopped dark chocolate (chocolate chips work fine too-about 1/4 cup)
• 1 splash pure vanilla extract

1. Heat the butter and cream to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Add the sugars and corn syrup, stirring constantly.
3. Add the cocoa and salt. Stir well.
4. Add the chocolate chips and mix until melted.
5. Off the heat, add the vanilla extract.
6. Sundae time! Also have ready: Freshly whipped cream (cream, a spot of confectioner's sugar and vanilla). Extra chocolate cookies, for garnish. Dark chocolate curls, for garnish. Peppermint sticks, for garnish. For assembly: Alternate scoops of ice cream with fudge sauce, and broken chocolate cookies. Crown with a cloud of whipped cream, drizzle with a few ribbons of fudge, and sprinkle with an abundance of chocolate curls. Complete the look by parking a swirly, twirly peppermint stick in the top. Now try not to inhale . . .