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If you know me, you know I have a love for ice cream. And this love isn’t relegated to summer. No, any time of the year is the right time for good ice cream. But, there is a definite difference in ice creams, and not all are created equal.
Growing up, we made ice cream in a White Mountain freezer for special occasions: birthday parties, family get-togethers, and Christmastime. Iowa is cold at Christmas, but one side of my family always has ice cream. Why mess with a perfect tradition, right? A White Mountain makes six quarts of ice cream, but you have to crush a lot of ice and pack it around the cylinder with salt.
Nowadays, many of us have smaller countertop ice cream freezers. You do not need to crush ice, but instead, freeze the canister for 24 hours. It’s easy and almost mess-free, especially when you have the perfect recipe!
What is a true ice cream?
Depending on where you are from, ice cream can have different meanings. In the United States, the most common type of ice cream is from a French custard base: a mixture of milk, cream, egg, and sugar, all cooked together. Once chilled, the mixture is churned at a below-freezing temperature. Air mixes in as it churns and creates… ice cream!
Using this method, the ice cream needs to be churned quickly enough and cold enough that the ice crystals stay as small as possible. Otherwise, the texture will seem grainy or icy.
How does ice cream thicken?
Traditionally, egg yolks are used to thicken the ice cream base, upwards of five to eight eggs for a single quart of ice cream. The egg yolk adds richness, but I find that with the yolk alone, I never achieve the thick consistency and smooth texture I’m looking for.
Instead, I use a hybrid method consisting of some egg yolk mixed with cornstarch. The addition of cornstarch helps temper the egg yolks so they whisk into the hot ice cream base easily. The cornstarch also thickens the base to help create a perfectly smooth finish.
More Recipes to Try
- Easy hot fudge sauce – the perfect chocolate sauce to pair with this ice cream recipe!
- Strawberry rhubarb sauce – perfect to pour on top!
- Espresso brownie no-churn ice cream
- No-bake peppermint cheesecake
- Raspberry cheesecake ice cream
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk separated
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
To serve
- 1 recipe hot fudge sauce
- sprinkles
Instructions
- In a 4 quart kettle, combine the 2 cups milk, heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, 5-8 minutes.2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk, 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp light corn syrup, ¼ tsp kosher salt
- While the mixture is heating, in a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tbsp milk, egg yolks, and cornstarch.2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk, 2 large egg yolks, 1 tbsp cornstarch
- When the milk and cream mixture begins to simmer throughout, remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Return to medium-low heat and whisk until simmering throughout and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and add the vanilla bean paste. Whisk to combine and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Cover and chill 6-8 hours.1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- Once chilled, pour into the freezer and follow the manufacturer's instructions. This usually takes 20-25 minutes. After churning, the ice cream can be immediately enjoyed as soft serve or poured into a container and frozen for an additional 4-6 hours for a harder consistency. Serve with hot fudge sauce and/or sprinkles.1 recipe hot fudge sauce, sprinkles
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
My sister Heather paired this ice cream with a chocolate pudding cake for our Christmas dessert. It was outstanding. Thanks for sharing this gem.
I’ve been making homemade ice cream for years and this is by far my favorite recipe. Kaleb’s recipes never ever disappoint. I’ve been following him since 2017! Highly recommend his cookbook too! He’s a gem!
Oh my gosh!!! Yes I love vanilla bean ice cream and definitely homemade ahhhh. Thank you so much
I made this vanilla ice cream for my two grandchildren. We all loved it. My adult son was especially impressed. It is even tastier after being froze in the loaf pan for the next day.
When preparing on the stove Just be careful the mixture doesn’t boil up quickly after adding the slurry.
The fudge sauce is delicious. Again be careful the fudge doesn’t boil up after only 10 seconds in the microwave.
Be careful with the fudge sauce in the microwave. I found it boiled up and almost
over the measuring cup in just 10 seconds!
It is delicious!
I just made the vanilla cream to make into ice cream with my grandchildren. There again the mixture will boil up really fast when putting back on the burner to thicken up with the slurry.
Tomorrow will be the final review once churned into the ice cream.
Can I make the ice cream ahead of time and leave in the refrigerator for a couple of days before churning?
Love your recipes- made the blueberry pie ice cream last week. Excellent but very sweet!
Thank you.
I’ve tried a LOT of ice cream recipes and WOW. This is truly the best! It’s everything one could hope for in an ice cream! I will be making this on repeat!
Just made the fudge sauce, came out perfect. Thank you!
This is THE best ice cream ever!!!! My absolute go to recipe!!! Thankyou Kaleb!!!!!
Very tasty recipe. This is the only vanilla ice cream recipe that I now use. The flavour is rich and delicious.