Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream
from the kitchen of Ellen, with thanks to Martha Stewart

Vanilla Ice Cream on a Pazooki

• Ingredients:
• 2 vanilla beans
• 2 cups milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbs sugar
• 2 cups very cold heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Split:
• the vanilla beans lengthwise with a sharp knife.  Gently scrape out all the beans into a medium saucepan.
• Add:
• vanilla bean pods and the milk to the medium saucepan.  Scald the mixture, cover, and remove from heat.  Let steep for 30 minutes.
• Combine:
• egg yolks and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat at medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Return:
• milk to stove, and bring just to a simmer.  Using a measuring cup or ladle, slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly on low speed until blended.  Keep adding milk mixture, abut 1/2 cup at time until it has all been added. Whisk until combined.
• Pour:
• mixture back into saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.  The custard should retain a line drawn across the back of the spoon with your finger.
• Fill:
• a large bowl with ice and water.  Remove pan from heat, and immediately stir in the chilled cream to stop the custard from cooking.  Pour through a mesh sieve into a medium bowl set in the ice bath, and stir occasionally until cooled.  Discard bean pods and strained seeds.  Stir vanilla extract into cooled custard.  Cover and chill in refrigerator, 30 minutes or overnight.
• Pour:
• custard into an ice-cream maker, following manufacturers instructions.  Churn until set but not hard.