So, there’s store-bought vanilla ice cream and there’s this rich, decadent, creamy, custard-y, fresh vanilla bean studded stuff that’s like creamed crack. You definitely won’t find this in a little cardboard container with a quirky name and a cartoon drawing. Sorry to have to do this to you, but this homemade French vanilla bean ice cream will set your ice cream “bar” wayyyyy high. Oh, and it’s French because it’s made with a custard base…which means it’s made with egg yolk…which means it’s better than just milk…which means you need to make this now.
3 Key components before starting:
- Ice Cream Maker (I use a Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker attachment for the Stand Mixer)
- Vanilla Beans
- Time and patience
Get yourself:
- 2 Vanilla beans
- 1C Whole milk
- 2C Heavy cream
- 3/4C sugar
- 6 Egg yolks (Large)
Grab a couple of vanilla beans and split down the length of the pod using a pairing knife
Scrape out the vanilla bean “caviar” using the dull side of the knife
Set caviar aside
Combine milk, sugar, vanilla caviar, and vanilla pods in a heavy bottomed pot
Heat over medium-low flame until wisps of steam begin to rise off of milk
DO NOT BOIL, gracias
Once milk warms, kill flame, cover, and set aside to steep for an hour
After one hour is up, build an ice water bath
Big bowl with ice and water – 2qt glass bowl inside big bowl – sieve on top
Grab your heavy cream
Pour heavy cream into glass bowl so it stays super cold
Go reheat your infused milk mixture in the pot
Same deal, just warm it over medium-low flame
While milk warms, combine egg yolks in bowl
Don’t forget about your milk…
…Temper Time…
Grab a ladle-full of the warmed milk…
Carefully add the warmed milk little by little to the egg yolks while constantly stirring
This is tempering, the goal is the incorporate the milk into the egg yolks without cooking the yolks
…Custard Time…
Add the tempered mixture back to pot and heat over medium flame while…
…CONSTANTLY STIRRING with a rubber spatula
The spatula is good at preventing the custard from sticking to the bottom of the pot
Stir for 10 mins
Stop whining, man up…it’s worth the effort
Once custard is thick enough to coat the spatula without running…
Pour the custard through the sieve
Press the custard through the sieve using spatula
Stir the mixture to combine
This is your ice cream in liquid form
Taste…
Pop the bean pods into the cream, cover, and chill overnight
Once your cream is thoroughly chilled, set up your ice cream maker
Pluck pods out of cream and pour into base of ice cream maker
Begin to process
After about 10-12 minutes it begins to freeze and grow
After ~25mins you’ll have soft serve ice cream…
Taste (eyes roll into back of head)
…one more step before you indulge…
Pour ice cream into a glass bowl and lay Saran wrap on top of the ice cream
Press down lightly to adhere the Saran wrap to the ice cream
Freeze for a few hours
Look at that scoop action!
Make yourself a big bowl and indulge, you deserve it
In mine and wifey’s honest opinion…
…it tastes a bit like creme brulee…
…just throwin’ that out there
Don’t toss those vanilla bean pods!
Rinse, dry, and stick into your sugar for amazing vanilla infused sugar
Bravo
