Homemade Very Vanilla Ice Cream!!

The scent of vanilla is intoxicating. Whenever I make anything with vanilla you will find me wafting the scent towards me or continuously trying the batter/custard/frosting and so on.

I decided to make ice cream this weekend. I have had an ice cream maker for over a year now and not once used it. Sometimes I do wonder if there is something wrong with me?

The big debate was where to start? Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry… maybe Coffee, Cinnamon, or Raspberry Ripple? The choices were endless…. So, to make my life easier and the fact that I absolutely adore vanilla I chose to start with vanilla.

Very Vanilla Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk

½ cup double cream or heavy cream

6 large egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 vanilla bean split

½ cup sour cream

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Ice cream maker

Ice for the ice bath

Have an ice bath at the ready before… Combine milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a blender until smooth and aerated. Pour into a saucepan and add the vanilla bean and cook on a medium heat, stirring often. I used a rubber spatula so I could scrap the bottom and sides of the pan. Once the mixture has thickened it should coat the spatula/spoon and you should be able to run your finger through it and the trail should remain. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the rest of the caviar into the pan.

Pour the custard through a sieve into a large bowl nested in the ice bath you should have already prepared. Stir until the custard until it is cool to the touch. In a clean blender pour the cooled custard in to it and add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Blend for about a minute before pouring back into your bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs or overnight.

Once it’s chilled in the fridge pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

notes: When I chose vanilla I went straight to the vanilla bible Pure Vanilla by Shauna Sever, check my book review. Do not throw out the vanilla bean pod, if rinsed and dried add it to a bag of sugar to make vanilla sugar or get a copy of Shauna’s book for other vanilla bean pod uses! Also do not discard the egg whites, make an omelet or make meringues like I did… post will be up soon!! It's the first time I have ever made meringues as well....