Classic Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (Printable)
Rich, custard-based vanilla ice cream that's incredibly smooth and perfect for summer treats.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Custard Base
01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 5 large egg yolks
05 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
# How To Make It:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and half of the granulated sugar. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.
02 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar, and salt until the mixture turns pale and becomes slightly thickened.
03 - Gradually pour the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs without scrambling them. Then pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan.
04 - Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, reaching 170–175°F (77–80°C).
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
07 - Pour the thoroughly chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, approximately 20–25 minutes, until the mixture is thick and creamy.
08 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours until it reaches a firm, scoopable consistency.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The custard base creates a silkiness that commercial brands spend millions trying to replicate and still never quite nail.
- Once you master this vanilla, every other flavor is just this recipe playing dress up, so you are really learning a hundred recipes at once.
02 -
- The tempering step is where most people panic and end up with scrambled egg soup, so add the hot cream slowly and whisk like your dessert depends on it because it absolutely does.
- Chilling the custard overnight instead of the minimum four hours was a happy accident that changed my results dramatically, producing smaller ice crystals and a noticeably creamier scoop.
03 -
- Freeze your storage container for at least an hour before transferring the churned ice cream into it, because a cold container means the ice cream firms up evenly instead of melting against warm plastic and refreezing with a grainy texture.
- A teaspoon of vodka stirred into the chilled custard right before churning keeps the final texture scoopable straight from the freezer without adding any alcohol flavor.