This creamy, old-fashioned ice cream is made without an ice cream machine and has a rich vanilla bean flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Step 1: Preparing the Custard Base
- In a saucepan, combine milk, heavy cream, and half of the sugar.
- Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, adding them to the mixture. Heat until steaming but not boiling.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar and salt until pale and thick.
- Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.
Step 2: Cooking the Custard
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170°F or 75°C).
- Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any curdled bits.
Step 3: Chilling the Mixture
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to develop flavor.
Step 4: Freezing the Ice Cream (No Machine Method)
- Pour into a shallow dish and freeze for 45 minutes.
- Stir vigorously with a fork, breaking up ice crystals. Repeat every 30 minutes for 3 hours.
Step 5: Serving
- Once creamy and fully frozen, scoop into bowls.
- Serve with fresh fruit, chocolate sauce, or nuts.