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Ingredients
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Vanilla Base
Strawberry Swirl
Finishing
Method
Vanilla Base
- 1
Warm the dairy
In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, 1 cup of heavy cream (reserve the rest), granulated sugar, invert sugar, and the scraped vanilla bean seeds plus the pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract). Warm over medium heat just until the mixture begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges; do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes if using a vanilla bean for deeper flavor.
- 2
Whisk egg yolks
While the dairy steepes, whisk the 4 egg yolks with a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl until smooth and slightly pale.
- 3
Temper the yolks
Remove the vanilla pod from the warm dairy. Slowly ladle about 1/3 cup of the warm dairy into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Continue adding warm dairy in 2–3 more additions until about half the dairy has been incorporated and the yolks are warmed.
- 4
Cook to custard
Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining dairy. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (an instant-read thermometer should read 175–180°F / 79–82°C). Do not let it boil.
- 5
Strain and chill
Immediately strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any coagulated bits and the vanilla pod. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream. If you used vanilla extract, stir it in now. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and cool to room temperature, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Strawberry Swirl
- 6
Cook the strawberries
Place the chopped strawberries, 3 tbs granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries release liquid and soften, about 6–8 minutes.
- 7
Break down and thicken
If you prefer a smooth swirl, use an immersion blender or transfer half the mixture to a blender and pulse until slightly smooth but still with some texture. If the mixture seems too thick to swirl, add up to 1 tbs cold water to loosen. Simmer another 1–2 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust sugar or lemon as needed. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until cold.
Churning and Assembly
- 8
Churn the base
When the custard is very cold, set up your ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. Pour the chilled custard into the machine and churn until it reaches a soft-serve texture, typically 20–30 minutes depending on your machine.
- 9
Layer with strawberry swirl
Spoon one-third of the churned vanilla ice cream into a chilled loaf pan or container. Dollop spoonfuls of the cold strawberry sauce over the layer, then repeat with remaining ice cream and strawberry sauce in alternating layers. Use a spatula or butter knife to create gentle swirls — avoid over-mixing to keep visible ribbons of strawberry.
- 10
Add mix-ins (optional)
If using mix-ins, sprinkle them in thin layers while assembling so they distribute evenly.
- 11
Harden in the freezer
Cover the container tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, until firm.
- 12