Rich Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream (Printable)
Rich and creamy vanilla frozen dessert made with fresh cream and vanilla.
# What You Need:
→ Base
01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt
→ Flavor
05 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
→ Enrichment
06 - 5 large egg yolks
# Directions:
01 - Combine heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is steaming hot. Do not allow it to boil.
02 - In a separate mixing bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks until they are smooth and slightly pale in color.
03 - Gradually pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the whisked yolks in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. This gradual tempering prevents the yolks from scrambling.
04 - Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Stir continuously over medium-low heat until the custard thickens slightly and evenly coats the back of a spoon, reaching 170°F to 175°F.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
07 - Pour the thoroughly chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture reaches a thick, creamy, soft-serve consistency.
08 - Transfer the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, smooth the top, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 2 hours before scooping and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Once you taste homemade custard ice cream, the store bought pint will never feel the same again, and your friends will start requesting it by name.
- The texture is silkier and the vanilla flavor deeper because you control every single ingredient that goes in.
02 -
- If you pour hot cream into the yolks all at once you will get sweet scrambled eggs, so always add it in a slow stream while whisking like your dessert depends on it.
- The custard must be completely cold before churning or the machine will struggle and the texture will turn icy instead of smooth.
03 -
- Chill your freezer container ahead of time so the freshly churned ice cream goes into something cold rather than room temperature glass or metal.
- A tablespoon of vodka or corn syrup folded in before churning keeps the final texture softer and easier to scoop straight from the freezer.