David Lebovitz's Vanilla Ice-Cream

 

Vanilla ice-cream is a classic. Sometimes all you need is a big bowl of creamy, dreamy vanilla ice-cream, no frills or fuss. 

But of course, it can be dressed up to even make a caramel fudge nut brownie ice-cream jealous. 

Dressed up with chocolate fudge sauce and chocolate wafers

Be a kid and throw some colourful sprinkles on top. Make it adult and smother it in a lequeur laced chocolate sauce. Have it after lunch with crushed nuts or after dinner with elegant chocolate bark.

And not forgetting that it makes perfect partners with fruit pies, chocolate cake or over hot puddings! 

Even as a Saturday afternoon snack while still in your pj's sitting on the couch, vanilla ice-cream just hits the spot.

David Lebovitz has two vanilla ice-cream recipes in his book The Perfect Scoop, one with and one without eggs. The recipe below is the one with eggs. 

Both kinds are delicious but I love a custard based ice-cream, I think it's a little creamier.

Precious minute vanilla seeds, so full of flavour!

This creamy treat is just the thing you need hiding in your freezer for unexpected visits, to be put on the side of desserts or eaten just because you feel like indulging.

It's a very simple recipe to follow and I guarantee you that it's delicious.

Ingredients

250ml Full Cream Milk

150g White Granulated Sugar

500ml Double Cream

6 large Egg Yolks

1 Vanilla Pod

3/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

Method

• Warm the milk, sugar, 250ml of the cream and salt in a saucepan
• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the warm milk and add the pod
• Cover, remove from heat and let steep at room temperature for 30mins
• Pour the remaining 250ml cream into a large bowl and set a sieve on top
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks
• Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly
• Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula
• Pour the custard through the sieve and stir into the cream
• Put the vanilla pod into the custard, add the vanilla extract and stir until cool over an ice bath
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the fridge
• When ready to churn, remove the vanilla pod
• Freeze the mixture in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions

Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop

Other Tips From Me

I'd suggest splurging on plump vanilla pods hailing from some exotic area (usually fairtrade and costing a little more) that boasts an interesting flavour undertone the way chocolate or wine does, this ice-cream recipe is worth it!

You can make the custard in the evening and leave it to chill in the fridge overnight (after cooling it down over the ice bath), vanilla pod removed, then churn it the next day. I cover the top of the custard with plastic wrap touching the custard to avoid a skin forming.

I prefer my ice-cream a little less sweet and so only put in 80g white sugar.

You can use lower fat milk and a single cream to lighten it up a little, it'll still be delicious but there is a definite texture difference, it's not as smooth and creamy.

Comments

[shayne]

I love David Lebovitz and his recopies. Every single one that I have ever tried has turned out spot on.

[Lisa]

Was so caught up in 'dough' the past week or so, I missed this. I'm not a huge fan of rum raisin, but vanilla is the love of my life. I'm drooling over your sundae's using it, and that photo of the scraped vanilla bean should be framed and hung in someone's (mine, mine!) kitchen! Also, love the slideshow changing of the photos..another reason why I need to self-host :)