MINT-TRUFFLE ICE CREAM TERRINE WITH MINT AND CHOCOLATE SAUCES

Mint-chocolate truffles frozen in vanilla ice cream create a polka-dot
dessert.

Truffles and chocolate sauce
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
16 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
Unsweetened cocoa powder

5 cups (2 1/2 pints) vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

Mint sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 cups (lightly packed) fresh mint leaves

For truffles and chocolate sauce:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy large saucepan; remove from heat. Add
chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Whisk in
extract. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours, or chill overnight.
Line baking sheet with foil. Drop scant 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture
for each of 16 truffles onto prepared sheet. Dust hands with cocoa;
roll chocolate mounds into rounds. Cover and freeze truffles. Cover and
chill remaining chocolate mixture for sauce. (Truffles and sauce can be
made 2 days ahead.)

Line 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving
long overhang. Spread 1/3 of ice cream (about 1 2/3 cups) over bottom
of prepared pan. Press 8 truffles in random pattern (and spaced apart)
into ice cream layer. Spread 1/2 of remaining ice cream over. Press
remaining 8 truffles in random pattern (and spaced apart) into second
ice cream layer. Spread remaining ice cream over. Cover terrine with
plastic wrap overhang. Freeze at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.

For mint sauce:
Bring sugar and 1/3 cup water to boil in small saucepan, stirring until
sugar dissolves. Pour syrup into blender; cool 10 minutes. Add mint
leaves to syrup and puree until smooth. Transfer sauce to bowl; cool.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Whisk to blend before
using.)

Stir chocolate sauce over low heat until warm. Transfer to pitcher.
Turn ice cream terrine out onto platter; peel off plastic. Cut terrine
crosswise into slices; arrange on plates. Drizzle chocolate sauce and
mint sauce around terrine.

Test-kitchen tip: Make quick work of softening the ice cream by
microwaving it in ten-second intervals on the lowest power setting.

Makes 12 servings.