French Vanilla Ice Cream (Frozen Custard)
French Vanilla Ice Cream starts with a rich vanilla bean custard base that churns into a smooth, creamy frozen custard with deep vanilla flavor and an irresistibly silky texture. Whether you're making sundaes, milkshakes, or serving it alongside pie, this is the homemade vanilla ice cream recipe you'll come back to again and again!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 261kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (357 grams) heavy cream
- 1½ cups (366 grams) milk, see Recipe Notes
- 1 (1) fresh vanilla bean, split, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, see Recipe Notes
- 4 (54 grams) large egg yolks, at room temperature
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 grams) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the custard base: Combine 1½ cups heavy cream and 1½ cups milk in a 3-quart saucepan. Using the tip of a sharp knife, split 1 fresh vanilla bean (if using) and scrape the seeds into the milk mixture, then add the vanilla bean.
- Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form and it starts to steam. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 4 large egg yolks and ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and sugar is dissolved.
- Gently heat the egg mixture by slowly adding ½ cup of the warmed milk mixture to the egg mixture while continuously whisking. Add another ½ cup of the cream and temper the egg mixture again. This process is called tempering the eggs, and its purpose is to prevent the eggs from curdling while the custard cooks.
- Pour the warmed egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat (don't let it boil). Cook until the custard has thickened, stirring constantly, about 4 to 6 minutes. It should coat the back of the spoon and leave a trail when you draw your finger through it (about 170 °F on a digital thermometer).
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, removing the spent vanilla bean. If the custard boiled during thickening, straining it out will help remove any curdled bits of egg. If you are using 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste instead of a vanilla bean, stir it in now.
- Cool the base using an ice bath (half ice cubes, half water, reaching halfway up the sides of the bowl). Stir the custard occasionally until it's cooled to room temperature (about 80 °F). This will take about 30 minutes.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilled custard can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. For the best results, make sure the base is about 40 °F prior to churning.
- Churn the ice cream: Pour the cold base into an ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer’s instructions, about 25 to 30 minutes. The finished ice cream will have a soft consistency.
- This recipe makes about 1 quart of ice cream.
- Ripen the ice cream: Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and smooth the top over using a small offset spatula. Freeze for 2 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to firm up, a process called ripening. Serve and enjoy!
- Storage instructions: Homemade ice cream will last for up to a month in a plastic freezer container placed in the rear of the freezer. After that, the ice cream may develop ice crystals and lose its creamy texture.
Recipe Notes
A fresh vanilla bean will give you the deepest flavor. If you prefer, you can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (which adds the specks of vanilla beans along with the flavor) instead.
Depending on the kind of milk you use, you can control the overall level of dairy fat in your ice cream. Lower the fat by using non-fat milk, and increase it by using whole milk. You can even use dairy-free milk products. I use 1% milk because it produces ice cream that doesn't have that "coating your tongue" mouthfeel.
The ice cream maker I'm using is a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Another good option is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 104mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 860IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 1mg
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