Traditional Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ice cream can be a part of a healthy diet when you eat it in moderation and use processed-free ingredients!
Ingredients
- 4 cups half and half (or 2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups whole milk)
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 vanilla beans, split (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extracts)
Instructions
- In a large (nonstick) sauce pot, heat the milk or cream with the whole vanilla beans over medium-low heat until barely simmer at the edges. Meanwhile, cream the egg yolks and sugar with a mixer until it is pale yellow.
- Add a half cup of the heated milk to the egg and sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat 3-4 times (this is to heat the eggs slowly so they don’t scramble). Then add the egg, sugar, and milk mixture back to the sauce pot and whisk to combine. Continue to heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. To test - using a wooden spoon, dip into the mixture and draw a line down the middle with your finger. If it does fill back up, then the mixture is ready. Remove vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds into the ice cream base or if using extract, add that now.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool in the fridge for a couple hours or overnight. Then transfer to the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s direction.
