Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Thank you for the little bowls, Lydia!!

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. That is my motto for this ice cream flavor. I'm not a fan of cookie dough and cookie dough ice cream, but for some reason, I decided to set aside a block of the Triple Chocolate "Chunp" Cookie dough for this ice cream.
I started with a base vanilla ice cream recipe from Dorie Greenspan. I rolled up the reserved cookie dough into a small thin log and refrigerated the log along with the vanilla ice cream custard base. After churning the custard the next day, I cut up the log of dough into small pieces (you could cut them in bigger pieces, if that is what you prefer), and then added them to the churned ice cream.
I was surprised at how good this ice cream was since I'm not crazy about CCC dough. It was beyond FANTASTIC. The vanilla flavor was very pronounced and meshed well with the chewy pieces of dough and chunky pieces of rich chocolate.
So, reduce your trips to the store for store-bought cookies and ice cream. Reuse your cookie dough in this ice cream. Recycle the container you used for the ice cream for another batch haha. Enjoy!!

Chocolate Chip/Chunp Cookie Dough Ice Cream

found on CafeLynnlu & adapted by Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours

2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 moist, plump vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract)
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
Chocolate Chip Cookie dough (I used about 80-100 grams of dough; go based on your preferences, but don't use too much, or it will interfere with the base flavor)

Bring milk and cream to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. If you are using a vanilla bean, put the seeds and pod into the pan, cover and set aside for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, bring the milk and cream back to a boil before continuing (I turn off the heat right before it's about to boil). If you are using vanilla extract, wait until later to add it.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until very well blended and just slightly thickened (until it looks pale). Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid-this will temper, or warm the eggs so they won't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid (I usually just pour in half the hot liquid, whisk, and pour egg mixture into the pot). Pour the custard back into the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. If you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track (about 5 minutes). The custard should reach at least 170°F, but no more than 180°F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and strain the custard into a 2-quart measuring cup or clean heatproof bowl. Discard the vanilla pod (I left the pod in while it refrigerated to intensify the vanilla flavor); or if you are using vanilla extract, stir it in now.

Refrigerate the custard for 4 hours or overnight before churning it into the ice cream (I always leave my custard in overnight.).

Remove the pod. Scrape the chilled custard in the bowl of an ice cream maker, and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Meanwhile, cut up the log of cookie dough into small pieces. Pack the ice cream into a container, and drop pieces of cookie dough into the custard. Stir the mixture well to evenly distribute the dough. Freeze the ice cream for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.