Ice Cream
Ingredients
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- 1 pod vanilla bean – split lengthwise, seeds scraped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract – use if not using vanilla bean
Instructions
1. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and pod to a medium saucepan with the heavy cream, whole milk, half of the granulated sugar, and the fine sea salt.
2. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the dairy is steaming with small bubbles forming around the edges, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 10 minutes for deeper vanilla flavor.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thickened and slightly pale, 1–2 minutes.
4. Temper the yolks by slowly whisking in about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture. Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan, whisking constantly.
5. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickly coats the back of the spatula and reaches 170–175°F, 5–8 minutes. Do not let it boil.
6. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl; discard the vanilla bean pod. Set the bowl over an ice bath and stir until cool to room temperature, 20–30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. If using pure vanilla extract instead of the bean, stir it into the cold custard just before churning.
7. Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, 15–25 minutes, or per manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and freeze until firm enough to scoop, 2–4 hours. Scoop and serve.
Ice cream is a smooth, frozen custard or cream dessert known for its rich texture and clean, sweet dairy flavor, often perfumed with vanilla. The classic version balances heavy cream for richness with milk for lightness, a touch of sugar for sweetness, and salt to sharpen the flavors. When churned, tiny ice crystals form while air is incorporated, producing the creamy scoopable texture that defines the dessert.
The treat has deep roots, from ancient iced sweets flavored with syrups to Persian and Chinese traditions of chilled desserts. European cooks refined milk- and cream-based ices in the 17th and 18th centuries, and hand-cranked churns made them more accessible. Industrial refrigeration and continuous freezers in the 20th century helped ice cream become a global staple, with regional styles like French custard, American Philadelphia-style, and Italian gelato shaping its evolution.