Description
Rich, creamy homemade vanilla ice cream infused with real vanilla bean for an unforgettable flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups heavy cream (at least 36% milkfat)
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan.
- Add the vanilla bean and its seeds to the saucepan. If using vanilla extract, hold off on adding it until after the mixture has cooled.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then immediately remove it from the heat.
- Cover the saucepan and let the mixture steep for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours, for a stronger vanilla flavor.
- Remove the vanilla bean. Rinse and dry the bean and store it in an airtight container with sugar to make vanilla sugar.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the mixture.
- Refrigerate the mixture for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Prepare your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Pour the chilled ice cream base into the frozen ice cream maker bowl. If you used vanilla extract, add it now.
- Churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually for about 20-25 minutes, or until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Check the consistency. The ice cream should be thick and creamy, but still soft enough to scoop. If it’s too soft, you can freeze it for a bit longer.
- Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container.
- Freeze the ice cream for at least 2-3 hours, or until it reaches a scoopable consistency.
- Scoop and serve! Enjoy your homemade vanilla ice cream on its own, with your favorite toppings, or as part of a delicious dessert.
Notes
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
- Don’t over-churn the ice cream, as it can result in a grainy texture.
- Freeze the ice cream thoroughly before serving to ensure it’s firm enough to scoop.
- Steeping the vanilla bean longer will result in a more intense vanilla flavor.
- If the ice cream is too icy, it may be caused by not chilling the base long enough, over-churning, or not freezing the ice cream quickly enough.
- If the ice cream is too grainy, it may be caused by over-churning or using low-quality ingredients.
- If the ice cream is too soft, it may be caused by not freezing the ice cream maker bowl long enough or not freezing the ice cream thoroughly after churning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes