Vanilla-Chip Pops

Source: Ice Pops by Shelly Kaldunski

adapted by http://theresalwaysthyme.blogspot.com

2 cups whole milk (I used 1%)

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 large egg plus 3 yolks

1/2 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or morsels, or chopped (or as in the original recipe, toffee bits!)

In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups of milk with the cornstarch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened. In a bowl, whisk the remaining 2./2 cup of milk with the eggs, sugar and salt. Using a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the seeds and the bean to the egg mixture. Stirring constantly, add the egg mixture to the milk mixture and then cook, whisking continuously over medium-high heat. Remove from heat when it begins to boil.

Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, then cool over an ice bath. An ice bath is a large bowl filled with ice and water, and a smaller bowl with the custard fits on top, to cool off the custard. Stir in toffee or chocolate chips when the custard has cooled.

Pour into ice pop molds and freeze for at least six hours.