If you have an ice cream maker which requires the inner bowl to be left in the freezer overnight, don't forget to do that the day before!

Put the milk, sugar and mint leaves in a saucepan over a low heat.

Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then take off the heat.

Pour into a suitable container, put in the fridge and leave until completely cold.

Put a sieve over a jug and pour in the mixture. Discard the mint leaves in the sieve.

Stir the double cream into the milk, plus the peppermint extract if using.

Mixture can be returned to the fridge at this point, including overnight, if convenient.

MAKING THE ICE CREAM

a. USING AN ICE CREAM MAKER

If necessary, remove your ice cream maker's inner bowl from the freezer and put it into the ice cream maker.

Following the manufacturer's instructions, pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and churn.

When the mixture is almost ready, melt the chocolate (I use a microwave, using 10 second blasts & stirring in between), then drizzle it in as the ice cream is churning, along with the finely chopped mint.

Transfer to a suitable container and freeze until your preferred consistency is reached.

b. MAKING BY HAND

Put the mixture in a freezer box and freeze for 1 hour.

Remove from the freezer, stir or whisk well to break up ice crystals then return to the freezer for another hour.

Melt the chocolate (see above).

Remove the ice cream from the freezer, whisk, then drizzle in the chocolate plus the finely chopped mint. Lightly stir and mix in.

Return to the freezer for another hour, remove and stir again.

Return to the freezer until your preferred consistency is reached.