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 crank kind of ice cream churns. 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.
The vanilla bean is my addition. We certainly never had a vanilla bean in our house growing up. You can add fresh fruit, chocolate chips, or other flavorings 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 ICE CREAM
Skill Level: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
Makes approximately 4 cups of ice cream base mixture
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup whole milk (you can use 2% if you prefer)
2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean, optional
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or to taste
DIRECTIONS
Add the milk, cream, salt, and the vanilla bean to a heavy pot or saucepan. Heat for one minute and stir in the sugar. Heat over medium heat just until the sugar is totally dissolved and just as little bubbles start to form around the edges but do not let it come to a boil. Remove from heat.
Whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until frothy. Whisk a cup of the hot mixture into the eggs; slowly whisk in another cup which will temper the eggs.
Whisk the egg mixture back into the remaining milk in the pot. Change to a wooden spoon. Cook the mixture over medium low heat, stirring constantly until it 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 mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large heat-proof glass bowl. Split the vanilla bean, scrape it and add about 1/2 of the seeds to the mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until cooled. Taste. Add additional vanilla or other flavorings as desired. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled; up to 24 hours before freezing.
Freeze according to manufacturer instructions.