Follow this guide to make french vanilla ice cream, the perfect companion to pecan pie, right in your own home. Make sure to freeze an ice cream bowl the night before making the ice cream to ensure it stays frozen. For the creamiest results, follow the instructions carefully, especially remembering to churn.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cup milk
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large egg yolks
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup crushed sandwich cookies (optional)
Directions
Put a metal bowl that will hold the ice cream in the refrigerator at least the night before making the dessert. In a saucepan, heat the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt, and bring to a simmer. While the milk mixture simmers, separate the egg yolks from the whites and mix them in a bowl thoroughly with the sugar until combined. Once the milk mixture reaches a simmer, take it off the heat and add the heated mixture to the egg yolk mixture gradually in batches, while constantly stirring. Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan, and cook it on low heat for no more than 10 minutes. Take it off the heat, and pour the mixture into a bowl.
After the mixture has cooled for approximately 40 minutes, cover it and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours. Once cool, pour into the bowl in the freezer, along with any optional additives such as sandwich cookies or chocolate slices, and churn accordingly. If doing so by hand, mix the contents every 2-3 hours with a rubber spatula before putting it back in the freezer, until the mixture is completely creamy yet frozen- approximately 24 hours later. If using an ice cream maker, churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream is churned, place it in a covered container and serve frozen.
