This old-fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream offers basic proportions of ingredients but suggests variations that allow you to make it obscenely rich and indulgent or a little less rich but satisfying nonetheless. All you have to do is tweak the number of yolks and the type of milk or cream. (Next time you complain about having extra egg yolks from a meringue or angel food cake, consider this recipe their destination.) Such exquisite brilliance.–Renee Schettler Rossi
Can I make this vanilla ice cream without an ice cream maker?
Until we’d read this recipe, those of us who are bereft of an ice cream maker had always resorted to pouting when we read ice cream recipes. But thanks to author Elsa Petersen-Schepelern, we can do otherwise. Just freeze the ice cream mixture in a stainless-steel bowl until it’s partially frozen, then blend it in a food processor or beat the mixture with a fork until it’s smooth. And then refreeze. The more times you repeat the freezing and processing, the smoother the resulting mixture. (Yes, we tried this. Repeatedly. And yes, it actually works. (Depending on the temperature of your freezer, it may be a little more like a milkshake in terms of texture, but nonetheless life-changing—or at least immensely satiating—in terms of taste.) No ice cream maker? No problem.
Rich Vanilla Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, plus 2 to 3 large yolks
- 4 cups milk or light cream, or a combination
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the eggs and yolks (however many you choose) in a bowl and beat until smooth.
- Heat the milk or cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat to just below boiling.
- Gradually whisk or stir 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into the beaten eggs, then stir the mixture back into the saucepan. Place over medium-low heat or in the top of a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until the mixture thickens. (Be sure to stir in the same direction.) Do not let the custard boil or it will curdle. When the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat, strain into bowl or pitcher and cool. Then cover and refrigerate until chilled through.
- Gently stir in the vanilla and process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the instructions. This recipe makes ample vanilla ice cream for most machines, so you may need to churn it in batches. Scrape the creamy goodness into a resealable container and freeze for several hours or up to overnight to achieve a proper ice cream consistency. Don't worry, your restraint will be rewarded.
Notes
Flavor Variation
You can fancy up this old-fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream recipe however you deem fit, adding pistachios, crystallized ginger, an extra dose of vanilla, caramel swirls, or countless other flavorings. Simply stir them in just before churning. Here, a couple basic suggestions, just to get your creativity started… Rich Strawberry Ice Cream Add 1 cup mashed fresh strawberries or 1/2 cup strawberry sauce and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Rich Chocolate Ice Cream Melt 4 to 5 squares unsweetened chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Alternatively, microwave at medium in short 30 second bursts (about 2 minutes in all) until melted. Stir a little of the Rich Vanilla Ice Cream mixture into the chocolate, then stir the chocolate back into the custard. If you wish, add 3 extra squares of chocolate, grated by hand or in a blender. Churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is a very rich and creamy homemade vanilla ice cream that’s simple to make. I chose to use whole milk and all of the suggested egg yolks. I also added about 1/2 tablespoon more vanilla than suggested plus one vanilla bean that I slit open and then scraped the seeds of the pod into the custard.
It’s a great accompaniment to cobblers, crisps, or your favorite fruit pie recipe. Can’t wait to try this again with the strawberry variation.
Select a Tester
I confess, I don’t like vanilla ice cream to be ridiculously rich. I crave a rich creaminess, yes, but not a frozen custard. I want to taste vanilla, not egg yolks. So although I was skeptical of the bare-bones approach in this recipe, I followed it at its most spare, using just the minimum requisite of egg yolks and whole milk. And it was so lovely that I promptly made a second batch. It was bliss and it smacked of unobfuscated vanilla.
It wasn’t the hard ice cream of my childhood, the kind that makes your shoulder ache as you scoop it up. Instead it had a slight milkshake-y quality to it. But I suspect that has more to do with our freezer, which doesn’t get terribly cold. I’ve since tried it using half milk and half cream and found it to be just as lovely. A keeper, without a doubt.
This is a great recipe! I’ve used it multiple times and it turns out spectacular ice cream. I was wondering tho, could I sub full fat buttermilk for the milk? Any idea how this might turn out?
Thanks, Kathy. We’re so pleased that you love this recipe. We haven’t tried using buttermilk in this particular recipe, but from our experience with other buttermilk ice creams, you would probably only want to replace some of the milk with buttermilk. It would give you more of a tangy flavor but without overwhelming it. I’d start with 1 cup buttermilk/3 cups regular milk or cream and see if you like the flavor. Do let us know how it turns out if you try it.
Unfortunately adding buttermilk did NOT work. I added it the same time as I added the milk and the mix curdled almost instantly, it looked like curds and whey. I continued with the process but it never thickened. I did put the mixture in the fridge overnight and then whizzed everything up in the blender to make it somewhat smooth (it never really got smooth). After churning, it was still a very odd consistency, very grainy. Maybe I should have added the buttermilk after the mixture cooled?
I’m sorry to hear that, Kathy. In looking at other recipes, the buttermilk can be added after the mixture cools, or once it’s removed from the heat and is still warm, but I don’t think you want to cook it.
Kathy, the mixture curdled because the acid in the buttermilk started the coagulation of the whole milk. I’m so sorry. There’s a tricky science to this due to the acid interaction.
I did a cursory survey of other buttermilk ice cream recipes, and they can present a problem. Even one from the great Stella Parks has issues, according to readers.
Again, I am so very sorry.
David
Thanks for the replies. I might give it another go and add buttermilk right before churning but for now I’ll just stick with the OG recipe, which is like I said, SO GOOD. :0)
Kathy, there’s no “oooohhhhh,” like OG!
This recipe is perfect. THANK YOU for doing what so many other ice cream recipes do not do – include egg whites! I don’t understand why most recipes call for only yolks. More than anything else they aid in the creaminess /non iciness of an ice cream recipe.
You’re welcome, Sarah. We’re so pleased that you enjoyed it.
You’re welcome, Sarah! We are delighted you enjoyed this and that it turned out so well.
Decided to make some ice-cream and I goggled vanilla ice cream… I must say that I’m impressed with this recipe.
Overall, my cream came out well… This is a thank you to you.
You’re more than welcome, Joan!