Prepare Custard Base:

• In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until smooth and pale yellow.
• Heat milk and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer (do not boil). Slowly whisk about ½ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it.
• Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (5–7 minutes). Avoid overheating to prevent curdling.

Chill the Base:

• Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits.
• Stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Churn the Ice Cream:

• Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions (about 25 minutes). The ice cream should reach a soft-serve consistency.

Add Chocolate Shards:

• While churning, melt chopped chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with a small tip cut off.
• In the last two minutes of churning, drizzle melted chocolate into the ice cream slowly. The cold ice cream will freeze the chocolate instantly, creating thin shards.

Freeze Until Firm:

• Spoon the churned ice cream into a shallow container or loaf pan. Press plastic wrap onto its surface to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.

Serve:

• Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before scooping. Enjoy!