Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

a bowl of vanilla ice cream with sprinkles on a white plate.

4.72 from 7 reviews

Creamy, custard-based vanilla bean ice cream — the base recipe for all the flavors you can imagine. Rich with egg yolks and fragrant with real vanilla bean.

Prep Time: 20

Bake Time: 10

Additional Time: 8

Total Time: 8 30

8 servings

Start Cooking

Ingredients
US Customary - Metric

12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
12 oz heavy cream (1 ½ cups)
1 vanilla bean (split)
6 egg yolks
8 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Combine 12 oz whole milk, 12 oz heavy cream and 1 vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Heat the milk mixture over medium high heat until scalding hot.
While the milk heats up, whisk together 6 egg yolks, 8 oz granulated sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
Once the milk mixture is scalding hot, pour it into the bowl with the yolks and whisk to combine
Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and heat over medium low heat, stirring constantly. Cook the custard until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula or wooden spoon. Do not allow it to come to a boil. Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl. Scrape the seeds from the pod and stir them into the custard. Return the pod to the custard. Cover the bowl and chill until very cold. At least 4-5 hours or over night.
Before churning the ice cream, discard the pod (or save it to make vanilla sugar). Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream machine.
When the ice cream is ready, scoop it into a container and smooth to an even layer. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream, cover tightly and freeze until firm.