Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Warm milk and cream

Combine 1 cup whole milk and 2 cups heavy cream in a medium saucepan. If using a split vanilla bean, add the scraped seeds and pod to the milk/cream now. Warm over medium heat until mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edges (about 170°F / 77°C), stirring occasionally to prevent skin formation. Do not boil.

Whisk yolks and sugar

While the milk is warming, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and a pinch of fine sea salt in a heatproof bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Temper the yolks

Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to raise the yolks' temperature (tempering). Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, stirring continuously.

Cook to custard

Cook the mixture over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and a finger dragged across the spoon leaves a clear line. This will occur around 175–180°F (79–82°C). Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle.

Strain and flavor

Remove from heat. If you used a vanilla bean pod, remove and discard it. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits and any pod fragments. Stir in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Taste and, if desired, stir in up to 1 teaspoon powdered sugar to adjust sweetness.

Cool quickly

Place the bowl in an ice bath (bowl of ice water) and stir occasionally until the custard is cooled to room temperature and then cold (about 30–45 minutes). Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled. For best texture, chill overnight.

Churn

Once the custard is fully chilled, stir it gently to recombine, then pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (usually 20–30 minutes).

Harden

Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to minimize ice crystals, seal, and freeze for at least 2–4 hours to firm up to scoopable consistency.

Serve

Scoop and serve. This recipe yields approximately 2 small scoops per person for 2 people (see servings). If using additional vanilla extract instead of a bean, the flavor will be similar; add a little extra (1/2 tsp) if you prefer a stronger vanilla note.