There is something very meditative about licking ice cream from a cone. If it is very good ice cream, the deeper the meditation will be. If it is the best ice cream, you’ll completely transcend. Just watch someone eat an ice cream cone. You’ll see that his or her mouth slowly but diligently takes in every lick creating a perfect rhythm, all the while never skipping a beat. The eyes, however, will glaze over becoming vacant. He or she could be in a group of ice cream eaters and no one will be talking to each other. Finally, once the end point of the cone is the only thing left in their hands they will all snap back to reality, lick their fingers, incoherently grunt something like, “that was good”, and get on with their lives as if they hadn’t even been sitting in a stupor-like position for the last 7 to 10 minutes. I know this because it happened to my parents, Cameron, and me yesterday when I made us some ice cream cones. I used Bi-Rite Creamery’s recipe for vanilla ice cream from their delicious book Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones. It was perfection. It was euphoric. It was the best. Here’s how to make the best vanilla ice cream.
Couple of things to keep in mind when making custard-style ice cream (ice cream that contains egg yolks):
- Use a thermometer when cooking the custard sauce. It is really easy to go from a beautiful thick sauce to cooked, scrambled egg yolks in seconds. While constantly whisking, keep an eye on the temperature. When it reaches 170 degrees F. remove from the heat, strain it into a clean bowl, and set that bowl in an ice bath to bring down the temperature.
- If you do over cook the custard do not lose heart. Simply pulse it a few times in a blender, then strain it in a bowl, and set that bowl within an ice bath.
- It is important to allow the base (the custard sauce) to refrigerate for 24 hours before churning. This gives the custard base enough time for the egg and milk proteins to bond with the water molecules, which will prohibit ice crystals from forming. Basically, it will ensure a smoother, creamier texture.
Let’s begin. In a saucepan, bring heavy cream, whole milk, 1/4 cup of sugar, salt, a vanilla pod, and the scraped vanilla beans to just under a boil (when tiny bubbles start to form around the perimeter of the saucepan). Once it is heated properly, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 30 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor.
After 30 minutes, strain out the vanilla pod, and then heat up the vanilla infused cream once again to just under a boil.
While the vanilla cream is heating up whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar. Make sure to whisk these two ingredients together immediately and not let the sugar just rest on the egg yolks. Sugar dries out and hardens bits of the yolks if not mixed. This is called “burning” and it ain’t pretty.
Pour 1/4 cup of the hot vanilla cream into the egg yolk mixture. Whisk vigorously to combine, and then pour in another 1/4 cup of vanilla cream. Whisk together. This is called tempering. You are slowly raising the egg yolk temperature so that it doesn’t fully cook and scramble when added to the rest of the hot cream in the saucepan.
Return the egg yolk/vanilla cream mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat while whisking constantly. When the temperature reaches 170 degrees F. remove the saucepan from the heat.
Strain once again into a clean bowl and set the bowl within an ice bath. Bring the temperature down to 40 degrees F. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
After the vanilla/custard base has been refrigerated pour in two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Churn the custard sauce in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Voila! The ice cream is a softer consistency at this point, which is lovely. If you would like it firmer, however, scoop it in an airtight container and freeze for about 4 hours. Homemade ice cream will last 2 weeks in your freezer.
- 1 and 3/4 cups Heavy Cream
- 3/4 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Sugar, evenly divided
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- Vanilla Pod, sliced length-wise and scraped
- 5 Large Egg Yolks
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together the heavy cream, milk, 1/4 cup of sugar, and salt. Add the vanilla pod and scraped seeds and place over medium heat. When it is just about to boil (little bubbles will form around the perimeter of the saucepan), remove from the heat, cover, and set aside for 30 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor.
- After the 30 minutes are up, strain the cream into a clean bowl, and then pour it back into the saucepan. Place the saucepan back on the heat and bring it to just about a boil once again.
- While the cream is heating up, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar.
- When the cream has reached that just-about-boiling point, reduce the heat to low. Carefully, pour 1/4 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Repeat, adding another 1/4 cup, all the while whisking. Now, pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining hot cream.
- Stir this mixture constantly, and using a thermometer, keep your eye on the temperature. When the custard reaches 170 degrees F. remove from the heat and strain once again into a clean bowl. Set this bowl within a larger bowl filled with water and ice. Using a clean spoon or rubber spatula, occasionally stir the custard to help bring down the temperature to 40 degrees F.
- Once the custard sauce is cool, pour it into an airtight container and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- When ready to churn, pour in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Churn the ice cream according to your ice cream maker's instructions. You'll know the ice cream is ready if you run your finger through it and the indentation stays put.
- If you want a firmer consistency, scoop the ice cream into an airtight container, and freeze for at least 4 hours.
- Medium-sized saucepan
- Strainer
- Large bowl (for ice bath)
- Medium bowl
- Ice cream maker
- Blender (for overcooked custard emergencies only)
