My mom used to make homemade ice cream for us all the time. There was just nothing like it and we’d all fight to get to lick the paddle. When I was really young, we had one of those churn kind. I used to think it would never freeze. When I got a little older, we graduated to an electric freezer but it did not make as much... a problem for an ice cream loving family of six. We would usually have both going at the same time so there was enough for everybody.
You can add fresh fruit to this recipe if you want but add it in right at the end after you spin the ice cream for best results.
MOM'S HOMEMADE VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM
Skill Level: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 vanilla bean
1 cup sugar
Pinch salt
10 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS
Prepare an ice bath in a large heat-proof bowl.
Add the milk, cream, and the vanilla bean to a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat until little bubbles start to form around the edges but do not let it come to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand for 15 minutes to allow the vanilla bean to infuse the milk. Remove the vanilla bean.
In a medium bowl of your mixer using the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and salt until they are thick and pale yellow. With the mixer on low, very slowly add a cup of the hot milk to the eggs to temper them, adding a little at a time. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk in the saucepan. Change to a wooden spoon. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens enough to coat back of the spoon. You will know it is done if you use your finger to draw a line down the back of the spoon and it holds. This will be around 160 degrees if you are using a thermometer. Do not let the mixture boil. (If it goes over 180 degrees F, it will likely curdle.)
Strain custard through fine-mesh sieve into large heat-proof bowl placed over the ice bath. Stir the custard until cooled. Split the vanilla bean pod and remove ½ of the seeds and put them into the custard. Stir in vanilla extract. Taste. Add additional salt or vanilla as desired. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled; up to 24 hours before freezing.
Freeze according to manufacturer instructions.