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1
Warm the milk in a saucepan and when bubbles gently form on the side, add the basil and the mint leaves. Turn off the heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes or so. I don't think longer would hurt, but I've never had the patience to wait!
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2
When ready, strain the basil-mint milk through a sieve into a small bowl, squeezing any remaining liquid out of the leaves. Return the milk to the saucepan and reheat along with one cup of the heavy cream.
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3
Meanwhile, beat the sugar and the egg yolks together. Take a 1/2 cup of the hot basil-mint milk/cream from the saucepan and temper the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan along with the remaining cup of heavy cream.
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4
Heat over a medium flame 3-5 minutes, stirring/whisking all the while and being careful not to let it boil. When the temperature reaches 170 degrees, who am I to argue?) or the custard coats the back of a spoon, remove from the heat and pour into a chilled metal bowl. Refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably more, until completely cold.
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5
Freeze according to your ice-cream maker's directions, adding the chocolate bits and pieces at the end. Scrape into a freezable container, press wax paper or plastic wrap onto the surface, cover and freeze for two hours before serving.
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6
If you feel artistic, stick a mint and/or basil sprig into each serving.
