Premium Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe

Preparation

1. 1

   Prep the Vanilla Beans

   Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the seeds using the back of a knife. Set the seeds and pods aside.

2. 2

   Heat the Milk and Cream

   In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean pods and salt. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is warm and the sugar is dissolved, but do not let it boil.

3. 3

   Infuse the Vanilla

   Once the mixture is warm, remove it from the heat. Stir in the scraped vanilla bean seeds. Allow the mixture to steep for about 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Whisk the Egg Yolks

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until they are pale and thick.

5. 5

   Temper the Egg Yolks

   Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. This prevents the yolks from scrambling.

6. 6

   Combine and Cook

   Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 5-10 minutes).

7. 7

   Cool the Mixture

   Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to discard the vanilla pods and any cooked egg bits. Let it cool to room temperature.

8. 8

   Chill the Mixture

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill completely.

9. 9

   Churn the Ice Cream

   Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

10. 10

    Add Optional Mix-ins

    If desired, fold in chocolate chips or crushed nuts before transferring the ice cream to an airtight container.

11. 11

    Freeze the Ice Cream

    Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.