French Vanilla Ice Cream

by Lizzy W   |   June 4, 2014   |   4 Comments

This is definitely not a guilt-free post but we all deserve some cheat days 🙂  I’m not saying this just because I made it, but this is the best french vanilla ice cream I have ever had… it’s so incredibly light and creamy with a whipped mousse like consistency, and the vanilla is so rich and aromatic, it’s just perfect!  Get the picture?  It’s amazing!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise, scrape seeds and reserve
• 5 egg yolks
• 10 Tonka bean shavings (most likely you won’t have these, and it’s fine to make without!)

Directions:

• Set up your ice cream maker according to instructions.  Some ice cream makers will have a tub that needs to be frozen beforehand at least 12 hours, so plan accordingly.
• In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath.  (large bowl with ice water)
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the heavy cream, half and half, sugar, and vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a simmer.  Stir with a whisk about ten min, or until sugar dissolves.  Whisk about 1/2 cup of the cream mixture into the egg yolks to temper, otherwise the yolks will cook and you will be left to gloppy custard!  After you’ve tempered the yolks, pour them into the cream mixture over LOW heat, and whisk consistently for about 3 minutes or until the custard thickens.  (It is very important not to stop whisking here).
• Pour the custard through a mesh strainer into a medium bowl in an ice bath.  This will remove the vanilla bean and most of the seeds.  Cool for about ten minutes and then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.  (Option here to cool overnight if you are making this a day ahead of time).
• Now, pour the custard into your ice cream maker and continue according to machine instructions, and ENJOY!!!!

 

 

***Tempering – The act of tempering is done by gradually increasing the temperature of one recipe component by the addition of another.