Rich Creamy Vanilla Frozen Dessert (Printable)
Rich and creamy vanilla frozen dessert made with fresh cream, milk, and egg yolks. Perfect for cooling down on warm days.
# What You Need:
→ Base
01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt
→ Flavor
05 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
→ Enrichment
06 - 5 large egg yolks
# How-To:
01 - In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and the sugar is fully dissolved. Do not allow it to boil.
02 - In a separate mixing bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
03 - Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper and prevent scrambling.
04 - Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, stirring continuously. Cook over medium-low heat until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, reaching an internal temperature of 170–175°F (76–80°C).
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract until evenly incorporated.
06 - Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
07 - Once thoroughly chilled, pour the custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until thick and creamy.
08 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to achieve the desired firmness.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The custard base creates a silkiness that no store brand can replicate, and once you taste it fresh from the churner you will understand the hype.
- It uses simple pantry ingredients and rewards patience more than skill, making it surprisingly approachable for a medium difficulty recipe.
02 -
- If you skip the chilling step and churn warm custard, the texture will turn icy and grainy no matter how perfect your base was.
- The tempering step exists to protect your yolks from scrambling, so pour slowly and whisk like your dessert depends on it because it absolutely does.
03 -
- The custard should coat the back of a spoon like a thin layer of silk, and when you run your finger through it, the trail should hold clean without dripping, which is your sign to pull it off the heat immediately.
- Adding a splash of vodka to the base before churning keeps the final texture softer in the freezer because alcohol does not freeze, and you will never taste it.