Best Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Frozen Custard)
The best homemade vanilla bean ice cream, made from a rich custard of egg yolks, milk and cream, then slowly churned.
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Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste)
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- ⅛ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tbsp good-quality bourbon or whiskey, optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan, whisk together 1 cup of the cream with the milk, vanilla bean seeds/paste, egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar and salt.
- Heat the custard over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to steam and just bubble slightly around the edges. Do not let it boil. Note that it will be very thin, and will not thicken at all.
- Remove the custard from the heat, and pour through a mesh strainer to remove any bits of cooked egg. Cover with plastic wrap resting against the surface of the custard, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight to let more flavor develop.
- After chilling the custard, use an electric mixer to whip the remaining 1 cup of cream until soft peaks form. Gently whisk the whipped cream into the chilled custard.
- Pour the custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the last minute of churning, add the bourbon.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded 2-quart container, and freeze until firm enough to scoop, at least 8 hours.
Video
Notes
- The bourbon is optional, but the alcohol helps to maintain a smooth, creamy texture.
- You can replace half, or even all of the granulated sugar with light or dark brown sugar, which will give the ice cream flavor notes of caramel and molasses.
- Homemade ice cream is best eaten within about 2 weeks.
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