3-5dropsred food coloringor until desired color is reached
1cuppeppermint candiescrushed. or candy canes
Instructions
Combine all ingredients except for the crushed peppermint candies in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Just before churning is complete, add the crushed candies to the ice cream maker to combine.
Turn the ice cream out into a freezer container and freeze until hard, usually around 4-4 1/2 hours or so, but overnight is best.
Notes
Do NOT use evaporated milk, it is not the same thing. Sweetened condensed milk is important in this recipe as it adds sweetness and helps create a creamy consistency.
I would highly suggest sticking to heavy whipping cream as opposed to using all milk in this recipe. Ice cream gets its creamy texture from its fat content. Therefore, if you substitute milk for the heavy cream, the texture of the finished ice cream will be less smooth and rich. With that being said, you can substitute with 2% milk or half-and-half but expect the texture to not be as creamy.
You can use candy canes or those little round peppermint candies, commonly known as Starlight Mints. Put them in a plastic zipper gallon bag and squeeze out the air. Zip it shut and crush the candy with a meat mallet or hammer. You’ll need around 15 or so candy canes or a couple of handfuls of the round candies. Just crush until you have a cup’s worth.
It's up to you how much you want to crush the candies, I found that crushing them finer makes them easier to eat in the ice cream.