House-made Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Combine Cream and Milk

In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and whole milk. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to steam, but do not let it boil.

Add Sugar and Salt

Add the granulated sugar and a pinch of salt to the cream mixture. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Prepare Vanilla Bean

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture. Add the scraped vanilla pod to the saucepan as well.

Whisk Egg Yolks

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

Temper the Egg Yolks

Slowly pour about half of the hot cream mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture.

Cook the Mixture

Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Do not let it boil.

Strain and Cool

Remove the saucepan from heat and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked egg bits. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn the Ice Cream

Once the mixture is completely chilled, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

Transfer to Freezer Container

Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and smooth the top with a spatula.

Freeze

Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.