Rich Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream (Print Version)

Rich, creamy vanilla frozen dessert made with fresh cream and egg yolks. Perfect for cooling down on warm days.

# 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 - In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. 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 - While whisking the yolks constantly, slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl. This gradual addition prevents the eggs from scrambling.
04 - Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. The temperature should reach 170°F to 175°F.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract until evenly incorporated.
06 - Pour 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 - Once the custard is thoroughly chilled, pour it into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture is thick, creamy, and has the consistency of soft-serve.
08 - Transfer the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, cover securely, and freeze for at least 2 hours before scooping and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade vanilla ice cream tastes nothing like store bought, and once you experience that difference you will never go back.
  • The custard base is surprisingly forgiving once you understand the tempering process, and it opens the door to endless flavor experiments.
02 -
  • Skipping the overnight chill leads to ice cream that freezes into a brick and takes forever to become scoopable.
  • The tempering step is where most batches fail, so pour the hot liquid very slowly and never stop whisking.
03 -
  • Chill your mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for ten minutes before making the custard to speed up the cooling process.
  • A tablespoon of vodka mixed in before churning keeps the ice cream softer straight from the freezer without affecting the flavor at all.

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