homemade chocolate ice cream

If you don't have a Cuisinart automatic frozen yogurt-ice cream & sorbet maker I highly suggest you get one.  My grandpa sent one to me and I was overjoyed.  I asked my husband which flavor he would like to try for Father's Day and he requested chocolate.  Plain chocolate.  It was a snap to make (no rock salt, no ice!) and he said it was the very best ice cream he had ever eaten.  It was soft and oh so creamy.  I look forward to trying out every recipe that came with the ice cream maker. (I believe you can get these ice cream makers on sale at Costco with the new coupon book for this month.)

homemade chocolate ice cream (Cuisinart instruction and and recipe booklet)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces (we used chocolate chips)
2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Heat the whole milk until it is just bubbling around the edges.  In a blender fitted with the metal blade, pulse to process the sugar with the chocolate until the chocolate is very finely chopped.  Add the hot milk; process until well blended and smooth.  Transfer to a medium bowl and let the chocolate mixture cool completely.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla to taste.  Chill for 30 minutes or longer.
Turn the Cuisinart maker on, pour the chilled mixture into the freezer bowl through ingredient spout and let mix until thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes.

variations:
chocolate almond- Add 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract along with the vanilla.  Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped toasted almonds during the last 5 to 10 minutes of freezing.
chocolate cookie- Add 1/2 to 1 cup chopped cookies during the last 5 minutes of freezing.
chocolate fudge brownie- Add 1/2 to1 cup chopped day-old brownies during the last 5 minutes of freezing.