In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and sugar over medium heat. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture begins to steam (but not boil), add the chocolate chips. Keep stirring until the chocolate has completely melted, and the mixture is smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. You want them to be smooth and slightly pale in color. Slowly add a small amount of the hot cream mixture to the egg yolks while constantly whisking. This will help temper the eggs and prevent them from scrambling. Gradually add the rest of the cream mixture to the yolks, whisking continuously.

Pour the egg and cream mixture back into the saucepan and return it to medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan. Cook the custard until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 5-7 minutes). You can check if it’s ready by running your finger across the back of the spoon—if the custard leaves a clean trail, it’s done.

Once the custard is ready, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight, until it’s well chilled.

Once the base is chilled, pour it into your pre-frozen Cuisinart ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model. Typically, it will take about 20-25 minutes to churn the mixture into soft-serve consistency.

For firmer ice cream, transfer the churned mixture to a container and freeze it for another 2-3 hours. If you’re like me and can’t wait, feel free to scoop it right out of the machine for a delicious soft-serve treat!