Intensely vanilla this is the standard never fail classic. The difference between now and years past is the ability to do this in a machine on your counter top. No more packing ice and salt into the outer rim of the freezer, no more dripping the fresh made cream onto the grass and having the dog lick it up and chase you for the dasher….although those were good times and good memories.
You start by heating the cream and sugar then whisk in the yolks and cook till it coats a spoon (or registers 180 on a thermometer).
Draw your finger along the back of the spoon and if it creates a channel (as seen below) it’s done.
Take the cooked mixture above and pour through the strainer into the remaining cream.
This will strain out any curdled parts but for God’s sake don’t toss the bean! Rinse it off, let it dry and reuse it by putting it in the sugar bowl or dropping it in a bottle of cognac or bourbon where it will continue to perfume the contents.
After the cook and the strain you’ll end up with a custard mixture which needs to be cooled down fast either in an ice bath (submerging the custard in a larger bowl packed with ice) or the lazy man’s way parked on a cold compress from the freezer as seen below. This is easier and less messy than the ice bath, so just pop it on, stir and blow for a couple of minutes then put it in the fridge and let it cool for a couple of hours or overnight.
Now all that remains is to get the ice cream maker out, plug it in, pour it in and in another half and hour you’ll have your very own little artery clogging bowl full of heaven. Enjoy it with Orange Almond Crisps or some sliced fruit.
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Heat the milk, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of the cream over low heat till the sugar is dissolved.
- Take the tip of a knife and run it down the inside of each half of the split bean, getting as many seeds into the cream as possible. Then drop the bean in and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes.
- In a top section of a double boiler beat the yolks. Incorporate the warm cream mixture gradually into the yolks. Whisk well and cook over a low heat till it thickens, taking care never to let it boil. When it coats a spoon it’s done.
- Now strain the cooked custard into a bowl containing the other cup of cream and the vanilla. Put that bowl into an ice bath and mix well. When it’s cooled somewhat, cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge till very cold.
- Once it is thoroughly chilled (at least a couple of hours), pour into ice cream freezer and freeze according to instructions.
- Put the finished ice cream into a container that has been chilled.
If the custard starts to boil, take it off the heat. And don’t worry. Straining it will eliminate the curdled parts.