Ice Cream Recipe

Warm the dairy

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream and 3 tbs granulated sugar. Split and scrape 1 vanilla bean into the liquid or add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat until steam appears and small bubbles form at the edge (do not boil).

Temper egg yolks

Whisk 4 large egg yolks with a pinch of the 1 tsp fine sea salt in a bowl. Slowly pour 1/3 cup of the warm dairy into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them, then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm dairy.

Cook custard

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, scraping the bottom until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 76–80°C). Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle.

Strain and cool

Remove from heat, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits and vanilla pod solids. Stir in any remaining vanilla bean scrapings or adjust with 1 tsp vanilla extract if using. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 3 hours or overnight).

Make chocolate sauce

Place 4 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate and 1 tbs cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl. Heat 1/4 cup of the chilled base custard in a small saucepan until warm (not boiling) and pour over the chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 tbs light corn syrup to give a glossy, pourable texture. Chill until cool but still pourable.

Add to churned base

Churn the remaining chilled base custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until thick and soft-serve texture is reached (usually 20–30 minutes). Immediately layer about one-third of the churned vanilla ice cream into a container, drizzle some chocolate sauce, add more ice cream, more sauce, creating a swirl. Freeze to firm up at least 4 hours.

Prepare strawberry purée

Combine 1 cup quartered fresh strawberries, 2 tsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse to a chunky purée (leave some small pieces for texture) or strain for a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust sugar if needed. Chill.

Fold into churned base

Churned base: reserve roughly 400 ml of the churned vanilla base (or churn a separate smaller batch). Gently fold strawberry purée into the churned base in ribbons — do not overmix if you want visible swirls. Transfer to a container and freeze at least 4 hours to firm up.

Make caramel

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 cup granulated sugar, swirling the pan occasionally until it turns a deep amber color. Carefully add 0.25 cup warmed heavy cream (it will steam and bubble) and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbs unsalted butter and 0.25 tsp fine sea salt. Cool to room temperature; it will thicken into a pourable caramel.

Swirl into ice cream

Layer churned base and caramel in a container to make ribbons or fold small amounts into the churned ice cream. Freeze to set for at least 4 hours.

Add mix-ins

If using mix-ins (toasted chopped nuts, chocolate chips, fresh strawberry slices), fold them into the churned ice cream in the last minute of churning or gently stir them into the soft ice cream before final freeze so they distribute evenly.

Firm and store

Cover containers tightly and freeze at least 4 hours (overnight is best) to reach scoopable firmness. Homemade ice cream is best stored in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed on the surface to reduce ice crystals.

Serve

Scoop into bowls or cones. For best texture, let ice cream sit at room temperature 3–5 minutes before scooping. Garnish with additional chocolate sauce, caramel, nuts, or fresh strawberries as desired.