Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ¾ cup (149 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream, divided
- Pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
- 6 egg yolks
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
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Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the heavy cream and the salt in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and add the bean to the mixture as well. Cover, remove from the heat and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and place a fine-mesh sieve on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan.
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Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula, a few minutes. The mixture should register 170 to 175 degrees F on an instant-read digital thermometer.
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Pour the custard through the fine-mesh sieve and stir it into the cream. Place the vanilla bean into the custard, stir in the vanilla extract, and place the bowl over an ice bath. Stir occasionally, until the mixture is cool. Cover and transfer the custard to the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
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When ready to churn the ice cream, remove the vanilla bean from the custard and freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.
- Equipment – You can use a stand-alone ice cream maker or, if you have a KitchenAid mixer, you can use the ice cream maker attachment.
- Milk – Use whole milk for best results and the thickest, creamiest texture.
- Vanilla Bean – You can usually find vanilla beans in the grocery store’s spices section, but they can also be purchased online.
- Cook the Custard Long Enough – If you are unsure if the custard mixture has thickened enough, use an instant-read thermometer; the mixture should reach 175 degrees F.
- Strain the Custard – Don’t skip this step! This filters out any little bits of cooked egg that could be clinging to the pan.
- Storage – Homemade ice cream will keep in the freezer for 1 to 2 months. Store it in an airtight container, such as Rubbermaid Brilliance storage containers (my absolute favorite food storage containers), dedicated ice cream storage tubs (rectangular or pint-shaped), or Souper Cubes (some people swear by these for keeping the ice cream scoopable and not hard).
Nutritional values are based on the whole recipe
Calories: 2739kcal, Carbohydrates: 180g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 213g, Saturated Fat: 124g, Cholesterol: 1848mg, Sodium: 368mg, Potassium: 796mg, Sugar: 163g, Vitamin A: 8950IU, Vitamin C: 2.9mg, Calcium: 724mg, Iron: 3mg
