Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
This smooth and creamy ice cream is packed with vanilla for a pure, sweet vanilla treat. It's the perfect accompaniment for summer desserts!
- Yield: about 1 quart 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 1/2 ounces (2 cups) heavy cream, divided
- 5 1/4 ounces (3/4 cup) vanilla sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 8 1/2 ounces (1 cup) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small or medium saucepan, combine 8 1/4 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream with the vanilla sugar, salt, and vanilla bean seeds. Stir together, using a spatula to press any clumps of vanilla bean into the sides of the saucepan to disperse. Add the vanilla bean pod* and warm the mixture over medium, heat, stirring constantly with a heat-safe spatula, just until the sugar dissolves. (If you wipe your finger down the spatula, you shouldn't feel any sugar granules). Remove from heat.
- While stirring, slowly pour in the remaining 8 1/4 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream and the whole milk. Stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer mixture to an airtight container and chill thoroughly (about 8 hours, or overnight).
- Before churning, remove vanilla pod from mixture and lightly stir or whisk mixture to smooth out. A film of cream may have developed on top during chilling, but this should stir smooth. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Store in an airtight container with a layer of plastic wrap placed directly on top of the ice cream, under the container's lid. I also like to keep the container in a freezer-safe bag for extra protection.
Notes
*It goes without saying, but be extra careful to not get pieces of the vanilla pod in the ice cream mixture. I accidentally did the first time I made this ice cream, and it's not that fun trying to fish it out. :/