It’s hard to beat a cold, creamy bowl of rich vanilla ice cream to offer some relief when the heat of summer. And this will make you scream for ice cream!
Making homemade ice cream is much easier than the days of hand cranking a machine, dealing with rock salt and ice. I was honestly never a huge fan of homemade ice cream when I was a kid. It all seemed full of ice crystals, milky and not at all creamy. This is different. It’s rich and luscious as ice cream should be. Tiny specks from the vanilla bean paste lets you know that something wonderful awaits. And the subtle fragrance wafting under your nose just before that spoonful leaves a silkiness on your tongue.
Like many of the ice cream recipes we use, this starts with a custard base. Made with over a half-dozen golden egg yolks, gently cooked with half and half then finished with real cream. A generous amount of pure vanilla paste, with its exotic aroma and flavor, is blended into the mix. All that’s left to do is chill and churn!
This delightful ice cream makes the summer heat much more bearable!
Thick and Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
1-½ cups half and half
7 extra-large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
Pour the half and half in the top of a double boiler. Place over medium-heat until the half and half is very warm, just below a simmer, about 10 minutes. Temperature will be around 170-degrees. Stir the half and half occasionally to prevent the half and half from scorching.
While the half and half is warming on the stove, combine the egg yolks with the sugar and kosher salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow in color and thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Slowly add about a cup of the warmed half and half to the beaten egg yolks and stir to blend together.
Continue adding about half of the hot liquid to the egg yolks then add the egg mixture to the double boiler.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking stirring frequently to keep the mixture smooth and prevent the eggs from “scrambling”. Cook until the custard thickens slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the custard base from the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer the base to a heatproof container. Stir in the cream and the vanilla paste.
Lay a piece of piece of plastic food wrap directly on top of the custard then cover with another sheet of wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 to 4 hours or overnight until well chilled.
Pour the chilled custard mixture into your ice cream machine and churn until the ice cream is set up, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer to a container and freeze until you’re ready to enjoy!
Makes about 1-1/2 quarts.
Thick and Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
Equipment
- Double boiler
- Electric mixer
- Heatproof container
- Electric ice cream machine
- Freezer proof container
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups half and half
- 7 extra-large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour the half and half in the top of a double boiler. Place over medium-heat until the half and half is very warm, just below a simmer, about 10 minutes. Temperature will be about 170-degrees. Stir the half and half occasionally to prevent the half and half from scorching.
- Combine the egg yolks with the sugar and kosher salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture is light yellow in color and thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Slowly add half of the warmed half and half to the beaten egg yolks, about 1 cup at a time and stir on low speed to blend together. Then add the egg mixture to the double boiler.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking stirring frequently to keep the mixture smooth and prevent the eggs from “scrambling”. Cook until the custard thickens slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the custard from the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer the base to a heatproof container. Stir in the cream and the vanilla paste.
- Lay a piece of piece of plastic food wrap directly on top of the custard then cover with another sheet of wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 to 4 hours or overnight until well chilled.
- Pour the chilled custard mixture into your ice cream machine and churn until the ice cream is just set, about 15 to 20 minutes. The ice cream will be like a soft-serve consistency. Transfer to a container and freeze until you’re ready to enjoy!
