Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

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5 from 1 vote

There is nothing like rich and creamy homemade ice cream in the summer and vanilla bean ice cream is a classic.

Prep Time15

chill30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 235kcal

Author: Cynthia

Ingredients

20 ounces half and half (2 1/2 cups)
4 ounces heavy whipping cream (1/2 cup)
5 large egg yolks
4 ounces granulated sugar 2/3 cup
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste OR 1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped

Instructions

Before cooking the custard, prepare an ice bath by putting ice cubes and water into a large bowl and placing a smaller bowl on top. This will stop the cooking and cool the ice cream base down more quickly and evenly.
In a medium saucepan, mix cream, 1/2 & 1/2, half of the sugar, and salt with a whisk, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally (don't let it come to a boil). (If using a whole vanilla bean; Split the vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise, and carefully scrape out seeds with a sharp knife. Add the vanilla pod and scraped seeds to the cream and 1/2 & 1/2 with the sugar)
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the other 1/2 of the sugar together
When the 1/2 & 1/2 begins to bubble, remove from heat, and using a ladle, add a small amount of the hot cream mixture to the yolks, whisking constantly.
Continue adding small amounts of the hot cream to the yolks until you've added about 3/4 cup
Continue adding small amounts of the hot cream to the yolks until you've added about 3/4 cup.
Continue to cook, whisking constantly in a figure-eight pattern in order to incorporate all the mixture from the bottom and sides of the pan, about 5-7 minutes, or until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Stir in vanilla paste, if using, instead of vanilla pod. (Don't use both)
Remove custard mixture from heat, pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove any small bits of egg.
Transfer custard into a heat safe bowl and place in ice bath. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold, several hours or overnight.
Follow the directions on your ice cream machine. Once it's done, the texture of the ice cream will have a creamy texture similar to soft serve.

Notes

Freeze the finished ice cream for several hours or overnight for a firmer result .
As with any ice cream, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to achieve the perfect scoop!
Store in an airtight container and eat within one week for best flavor, since there are no preservatives.
Using a small amount of alcohol will inhibit the freezing process, and contribute to a creamier ice cream. I've left it out in this recipe, however you can add just a 1 Tablespoon of bourbon once the custard is done if you'd like. Bourbon is also sometimes used in making vanilla extract.

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