Vanilla Chocolate Chip Gelato

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Gelato
from the kitchen of Ellen, thanks to Melanie Dunea

• Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat or lowfat milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chunks, chopped to suit
• Whisk:
• sugar into egg yolks until well blended.  Heat half and half and milk until hot but not boiling.  Add 1 tbs. at a time of hot mixture to sweetened egg yolks and whisk fast and well to slowly raise temp of yolk mixture.  After adding 6 tbs or so, pour yolk mixture into remaining hot mixture and whisk well.
• Scrape seeds of vanilla bean into mixture, and then add remaining half pod plus vanilla extract.  Continue whisking as you bring combined mixture back to almost a boil over low heat.
• Remove pan from heat, and wait until the mixture has cooled before straining.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
• Churn in a cold ice cream maker as per machine's instructions.  When done, stir in chocolate.