Gingerbread Ice Cream - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups light cream
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 ounce fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup diced gingerbread (optional)
1/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (optional)

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients and bring to a very gentle boil.
Once it begins to boil, remove from heat immediately and allow to steep for 25 minutes.
Strain mixture into a container, and whisk in molasses.
Pour mixture back into saucepan and put on low to medium heat.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until frothy.
Whisk 1 cup of the warm milk mixture into the beaten eggs.
Gradually whisk all of the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture.
Cook, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and strain back into a container sitting in an ice bath.
Stir to help cool.
After it's cooled, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate about 1 hour, until well-chilled.
Freeze in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
When the ice cream is almost done freezing-about 5 minutes before-add the gingerbread cubes and chocolate if using.