Ice Cream Recipe

Warm milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and half of the sugar (1 1/2 tbs). Warm over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.

Infuse if using vanilla bean or cinnamon stick

If making vanilla: split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape seeds into the warm milk mixture and add the pod. If not using bean and making chocolate: skip. For a cinnamon-scented infusion (optional), add a cinnamon stick to the warm milk. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 20–30 minutes to deepen flavor; then return to a low heat briefly to re-warm before tempering eggs.

Whisk yolks and sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1 1/2 tbs sugar and the salt until smooth and slightly pale.

Temper the eggs

Remove the vanilla pod (or cinnamon stick) from the milk mixture. With the milk warm, slowly pour about 1/3 cup of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Continue adding the warm milk in a slow stream, whisking, until about half the milk is incorporated and the yolks are warmed. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly.

Cook the custard

Cook the mixture over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil. This should take 5–8 minutes.

Finish and chill

If using corn syrup, whisk it in now for smoother texture. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits and the vanilla pod or cinnamon stick. If making vanilla ice cream and you didn't use a bean, stir in the vanilla extract now. Cool the custard at room temperature 10–15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

If you infused with the vanilla bean during the warming step, the custard already has vanilla. After chilling, churn the cold custard base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions (typically 20–30 minutes) until it reaches soft-serve consistency. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze at least 4 hours to firm up before serving. If you didn't use a bean, add 1 tsp vanilla extract to the chilled custard before churning.

Melt chocolate and blend cocoa

After the custard has thickened on the stove but before chilling or immediately after removing from heat, add the chopped bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, and optional ancho/cayenne to the hot custard. Whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is homogeneous. If needed, return to very low heat and stir until smooth, then remove from heat.

Strain and chill

Strain the chocolate custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any undissolved bits and ensure smoothness. Let cool slightly at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn and freeze

Churn the chilled chocolate custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (about 20–30 minutes). Transfer to an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, and freeze at least 4 hours to firm up before serving.

Scoop ice cream using a warmed scoop into bowls or cones. For the Oaxacan chocolate version, garnish with a light dusting of cinnamon or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. For vanilla, garnish with a vanilla bean scrap or cookie if desired. Store in the coldest part of the freezer; allow to sit at room temperature 3–5 minutes before scooping for easier serving.