Spread coffee beans out in a single layer between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or kitchen mallet, smash the coffee beans, splitting each into 2 or 3 pieces. These will be strained out later, so don’t get too crazy here.

Place milk, heavy cream, smashed coffee beans and ½ cup of sugar into a large saucepan. Bring mixture to just below a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar (the liquid should just begin to bubble).*** Remove the saucepan from the heat and let steep, uncovered for 1 hour.

Return the pan to the heat and heat until the liquid is just below a simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and the yolks in a bowl until slightly thickened. Slowly, while whisking, add ½ cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolks. Take your time here so you don’t scramble the yolks. Once the ½ cup of hot milk is whisked in, add the remaining milk mixture (this process is known as tempering). Set a fine-mesh strainer over a clean saucepan and strain the milk-yolk mixture into the pan. Discard the coffee beans.

Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Set a medium sized bowl in the ice bath and have another strainer ready.

Put the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. You will know the custard is thick enough when you see steam rise from the surface and the custard coats the spoon. Strain the custard into the ice bath bowl, add the kosher salt and let cool.

Refrigerate until cold.

Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is three quarters of the way done, add chocolate chips and continue to freeze until frozen.