Vanilla Ice Cream

Steps

1. Put 200 ml cream + 400 ml milk in a pan. Set over low heat.
2. Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds + the pod to the milk/cream mixture.
3. Bring slowly to a boil. Stir occasionally.
4. (At the same time) Separate 4 eggs: put the yolks in a bowl, set the whites aside (not needed).
5. Add 125 g sugar to the yolks. Whisk until the mixture turns light yellow.
6. Once the milk/cream mixture boils: pour a splash into the eggs while whisking fast (this tempers the eggs so they blend in smoothly).
7. Now add 1/3 of the mixture to the bowl with the eggs. Mix well.
8. Pour everything back into the pan (with the remaining 2/3). Stir over low heat.
9. The mixture slowly thickens. Heat slowly to 85°C (thermometer). No thermometer? Lift the spatula out and run your finger across it: if the stripe’s two sides stay visibly apart, it’s thick enough.
10. Take off the heat. Pour through a sieve into a clean container.
11. Chill for several hours, preferably overnight.
12. Churn in the ice cream maker until it’s firm ice cream.
13. Eat straight away, or store in a container in the freezer and take it out ~15 min before serving.

Flow

Two tracks: the pan (green) and the egg bowl (orange). They merge at the tempering step, then it’s a single track to the ice cream. The arrows tell you when to move on.

Notes

• 85°C is the limit. Beyond that the eggs will curdle. No thermometer? Use the spatel test: lift the spatula, run a finger across the back — if the two sides of the stripe stay apart, the custard is thick enough.
• Chilling overnight gives the best result: more flavour (the vanilla infuses) and a creamier churn.
• Storing in the freezer? Take the container out ~15 min before serving so it scoops well.
• Variation: add chocolate shavings, caramel or fresh fruit when serving.