Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream (minimum 36% fat)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (divided)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large vanilla bean (Madagascar preferred), split and scraped, or 1 tsp high-quality vanilla extract/paste (added in Step 4)
- 5 large egg yolks
Instructions:
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, half of the sugar, and salt. Add the scraped vanilla seeds and the scraped-out pod now. Heat over medium-low heat until steam rises gently (about 165°F/74°C). Do not boil. Remove from heat and let it steep for 15 minutes to maximize vanilla flavor extraction.
- While the cream steeps, whisk the 5 egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a separate bowl until the mixture is pale yellow and falls off the whisk in thick ribbons (ribbon stage). Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm dairy mixture into the yolk/sugar bowl while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy. Return the saucepan to low heat. Stir continuously with a rubber spatula until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spatula (Nappe consistency). Stop cooking immediately when the temperature hits 175°F (80°C).
- Immediately strain the custard base through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. If not using a whole bean, stir in the vanilla extract or paste now. Place the bowl directly into a large ice bath for rapid cooling. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally overnight, ensuring the base is absolutely chilled (40°F/4°C or colder).
- Ensure your ice cream maker bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours. Pour the cold custard base into the running machine. Churn for 20–25 minutes until it resembles thick, soft-serve ice cream.
- Transfer the soft ice cream immediately to an airtight freezer container. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for another 2 to 4 hours to harden to a proper scoopable consistency.