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Old-Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Old-fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream made with a classic vanilla custard base, steeped vanilla and egg yolks for a dense, creamy scoop. You’ll churn a smooth custard thick enough to coat a spoon, with visible vanilla bean specks in every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours 24 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 59 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

heavy cream
  • 2 cup heavy cream
whole milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
egg yolks
  • 5 egg yolks
vanilla bean
  • 1 vanilla bean Split and scraped, or use pure vanilla extract
pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract Use instead of the vanilla bean if preferred
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Infuse the dairy with vanilla
  1. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds. Add the pod and seeds to the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan.
  2. Heat the cream mixture over medium heat until steaming and just beginning to simmer. Remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes, then remove the vanilla pod.
Make the vanilla custard
  1. Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar together until pale and thick. Keep whisking until the mixture looks lighter in color.
  2. Slowly pour the warm cream into the yolks while whisking constantly. Stream it in gradually so the yolks don’t scramble.
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the custard thickens to coat the back of a spoon, reaching 175F.
Chill, churn, and freeze
  1. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Stir in the salt until fully combined.
  2. Cool the custard by setting it over an ice bath. Stir occasionally until it’s no longer hot.
  3. Refrigerate the custard at least 4 hours or overnight. Chill completely before churning.
  4. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker. Then freeze until firm.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the custard at medium-low heat and stir constantly so it thickens smoothly instead of curdling; if using the extract option, add it after the custard is off the heat. Store in the refrigerator for 1 day for best texture, or freeze up to 2 months in an airtight container. Freezer yes. For a simple swap, use lactose-free whole milk and heavy cream if you want to reduce dairy intolerance while keeping the same custard method.