Salt & Straw Recipe

Prepare vanilla

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds with the back of a knife. Place both seeds and pod into a medium saucepan.

In the saucepan with the vanilla, combine whole milk and heavy cream. Warm the mixture over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges, but do not let it boil (about 5–7 minutes).

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Temper the yolks by slowly pouring about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to raise their temperature without curdling. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cream, whisking to combine.

Return the saucepan to low-medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the fine sea salt. Cover the custard and let it steep with the vanilla pod for 15–20 minutes to infuse flavor.

Remove and discard the vanilla pod. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to ensure smoothness. Allow it to cool slightly on the counter, then refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 4 hours or overnight).

Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions and chill the frozen bowl if required. If using instant-chill electric machines, follow their pre-cool steps.

If you want a coffee-flavored ice cream, stir the espresso or strong coffee into the chilled custard now and mix until combined.

Pour the thoroughly chilled custard into the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes).

While the ice cream churns, prepare mix-ins: melt the chopped dark chocolate in short bursts in the microwave or using a double boiler until smooth, then allow to cool slightly; or warm the caramel sauce so it is pourable; toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (2–4 minutes) and cool.

During the last 2–4 minutes of churning, add any mix-ins you want. For chocolate ribbons, drizzle the slightly cooled melted chocolate into the churn so it freezes into ribbons. For salted caramel swirls, slowly pour ribbons of caramel into the churning ice cream. For nuts, fold them in so they distribute evenly.

If not using an ice cream maker, pour the chilled custard into a shallow, freezer-safe container, freeze for 45 minutes, then beat vigorously with a whisk or hand mixer to break up ice crystals; repeat every 30–45 minutes until creamy (3–4 cycles), adding mix-ins during the last cycle.

Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container. If adding larger swirls or ribbons (chocolate or caramel), layer ice cream and pour ribbons between layers, then use a spatula to create gentle swirls—avoid over-mixing so you retain ribbons.

Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt flakes on top if desired for contrast.

Press a piece of parchment directly onto the ice cream surface to prevent ice crystals and seal with a lid. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

When ready to serve, let the container sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes to soften slightly for easier scooping.