Rich Vanilla Ice Cream

French Style Base (Smoother and Silkier)

2 C heavy cream
1 C whole milk

134 g sugar
1/8 t salt
2 vanilla beans (or add 1 1/2 t vanilla)
6 yolks

Warm 1 C cream, milk, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan.

Split and scrape vanilla beans and add to warm milk mixture.

Cover, remove from heat, and let steep 30 mins.

Meanwhile, pour 1 C cold cream into bowl.

Place mesh strainer on top of cold cream bowl.

Whisking yolks constantly, slowly pour warm milk over yolks.

Pour milk & yolks back into saucepan.

Stirring constantly on low heat, cook until thickened.

Pour through strainer into cream.

Stir over an ice bath until cool.

Chill in refrigerator 4 hours or until ready to churn.

VARIATIONS:

AROMATICS:

    Steep in milk in place of vanilla beans (30 mins) & strain:

        1/2 coarsely ground coffee beans

        1/4 C tea leaves

        1 C mint or basil food processed with sugar from recipe

        4" cinnamon stick food processed with sugar from recipe

        zest of 3 lemons or limes food processed with sugar from recipe

FRUIT:

    Make base omitting milk.

    Stir puree into strained base with 1/2 C buttermilk:

        puree 1 lb berries, 3 T sugar, 1/2 t lemon juice

            For the berry puree only, skip the buttermilk!

        puree 4 bananas, 2 T sugar, 1 t lemon juice, pinch salt.

        puree 3 lbs simmered peaches, 100 g sugar, 1/4 t almond extract.

        puree 2 lbs simmered cherries, 67 g sugar, 1/4 t kirsch.

CHOCOLATE & CARAMEL:

    Chocolate Ice Cream

    Make base with 2 C milk, 1 C cream, and only 50 g sugar.

        Whisk 1 C Nutella and 1 t vanilla into warm strained base.

    Make caramel with 150 g sugar with 3 T water.

        Make base in the same pot, adding only 100 more g sugar.

        Ensure caramel is totally dissolved before adding yolks.

        For salted caramel, add 1/4 t flaky sea salt.

        For butterscotch bourbon, stir in 1 T bourbon.

NUTS:

    Make base with 2 C milk and 1 C cream.

        Whisk in 1 C unsweetened pistachio paste, 1/4 t almond extract.

    Make base with 2 C milk and 1 C cream.

        Whisk in 1 C unsweetened peanut butter, 1/2 t vanilla.

    In a pot, toast 1/2 C sliced almonds with 2 T sugar and pinch salt.

        Set prepared add-ins aside.

        In the same pot, toast another C almonds for steeping.

        Make base with almonds, 1 1/2 C cream, and 1 1/2 C milk.

        Let steep 1 hour before straining and discarding steeped almonds.

        Add 1/4 t almond extract before chilling.

        Add toasted almonds in last 2 mins churning.

    Toast 1/2 C sweetened shredded coconut.

        Set prepared add-ins aside.

        In the same pot, toast another C coconut for steeping.

        Make base with coconut, 1 C cream, 1 C milk, & 1 C coconut milk.

        Let steep 1 hour before straining and discarding steeped coconut.

        Add toasted coconut in last 2 mins churning.

Philadelphia Style Base (Firmer & Lighter)

3 C heavy cream (or 2 C and 1 C whole milk)
134 g sugar
1/8 t salt
1 vanilla bean
3/4 t vanilla extract

Warm 1 C cream, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan.

Split and scrape vanilla bean and add to warm milk mixture.

Cover, remove from heat, and let steep 30 mins.

Add remaining cream and vanilla extract.

Chill in refrigerator until ready to churn.

Courtesy of Cindy Lee, NY Times