Since it had been a bit warmer lately, I thought that it was time to bring my ice cream maker out of hibernation. Vanilla ice cream is my favorite ice cream and since I had picked up some vanilla beans a while ago and I had been impatiently waiting to make some. I started with my basic ice cream recipe and added a few extra egg yolks to make it even creamier. By the time the mixture was done cooking it was really thick like custard and I could have eaten it all just like that with a spoon. But my goal was vanilla ice cream and not vanilla custard. I used some vanilla sugar that I had made myself by placing the used vanilla bean pods into the container with the sugar. The vanilla bean ice cream turned out really well. It was nice and creamy and the vanilla flavour was nice and strong, just the way I like it. The ice cream was full of nice dark flecks of vanilla bean. I don’t seem to have much luck taking photos of ice cream. It always seems to melt before I get a shot that I like.
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean pod
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cups vanilla sugar
- 4 egg yolks
directions
- Slice the vanilla bean open lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
- Heat the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean seeds in a sauce pan until it almost boils, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add one table spoon of the cream mixture to the eggs to temper them.
- Add the egg mixture to the sauce pan.
- Cook at low heat until it thickens and can coat the back of a spoon.
- You may want to strain the mixture at this point to remove any bits that may have formed while cooking.
- Chill the mixture in the fridge.
- Freeze according to the instructions for your ice cream machine.
pastry studio says
May 15, 2008 at 10:54 pmI agree with you about taking shots of ice cream and sorbet! It’s a complete flurry of hurry, hurry, hurry!
This looks delicious nonetheless. Pure vanilla is a very special treat. Please keep making ice cream!
HoneyB says
May 15, 2008 at 11:05 pmVanilla is my absolute favorite! Looks delicious!
Lisa says
May 15, 2008 at 11:16 pmOh, just look at that delicious ice cream! Vanilla is one of my very favorite flavours. Another fine recipe from Kevin’s kitchen!
VeggieGirl says
May 15, 2008 at 11:28 pmAhh, homemade vanilla bean ice cream – so rich, pure, and delightful. Yum!
Heather says
May 15, 2008 at 11:59 pmI dunno, that shot looks pretty good to me!
I like a sprinkle of god sea salt on my ice cream.
Raquel says
May 16, 2008 at 12:15 amAmazing!!! We have a product here in the states called vanilla bean crush. I think you can order it from the King Arthur Flour company. It is like a paste of vanilla beans plus extract. I will have to try that in some ice cream, as it is much less expensive than buying the whole pods.
Anonymous says
May 16, 2008 at 12:20 amI was just thinking about making vanilla bean ice cream and I have vanilla sugar too! Thanks for the recipe!
RecipeGirl says
May 16, 2008 at 12:20 amMmmmm. Vanilla is my favorite. I need to get my ice cream maker out of hiding too 🙂
Jessy and her dog Winnie says
May 16, 2008 at 12:34 amNice! I love the little specks of vanilla!
noobcook says
May 16, 2008 at 1:25 amthat looks gorgeous!
Proud Italian Cook says
May 16, 2008 at 1:25 amIt looks so creamy and delicious Kevin!
Gretchen Noelle says
May 16, 2008 at 1:52 amOh how I wish I had an ice cream maker!
redforever says
May 16, 2008 at 2:33 amThat icecream looks perfect just the way it is shown. Personally, I hate hard icecream so your pic with it softening around the outside just a bit is just how I like my icecream.
Pam says
May 16, 2008 at 2:40 amIt’s my favorite flavor too. It looks divine!
Steph says
May 16, 2008 at 3:42 amSounds divine Kevin!!!!
Antonio Tahhan says
May 16, 2008 at 3:48 amI just bought an ice cream maker and now I’m anxiously awaiting its arrival in the mail!! I love that you use REAL vanilla – makes a huge difference… I’m a sucker for those polka dots.
Lina says
May 16, 2008 at 4:06 amthe problem with ice cream is that it always ends up in my tummy before I take a photo…
Renae says
May 16, 2008 at 4:42 amLovely ice cream. I’m amazed by your postings. Do you have these planned months in advance?
cakebrain says
May 16, 2008 at 5:18 amI just love real vanilla beans and your ice cream looks amazing!
bagel says
May 16, 2008 at 5:25 amWow. I think I’m inspired enough to go out and buy my own ice cream maker.
Jan says
May 16, 2008 at 5:44 amYummy looking ice cream – Mmmmm!!
I love vanilla.
sher says
May 16, 2008 at 6:17 amThat’s my favorite flavor of ice cream too. And it was 100 degrees here today! I sure wish I had some of that right now!
Janulka says
May 16, 2008 at 6:44 amKevin, I am so glad I opened your blog again. I am looking for a recipe for an ice cream where the eggs won’t be fresh and put to the fridge (because I do not have my own chicks, I am afraid a bit of salmonela)… you gave me the perfect recipe! I will try it right on! (my son already asked me if I can make an ice cream too…) thank you!
Laura @ Hungry and Frozen says
May 16, 2008 at 7:30 amI love vanilla ice cream – so classic. And you’re right, with any ice cream I find it so hard not to eat all the unfrozen custard!! Looks gorgeous 🙂 🙂 🙂
Dhanggit says
May 16, 2008 at 7:33 amnothing beats a perfect home-made vanilla ice-cream..i just love this!! perfect with pies and tart..yummy
ps, i like your photo
Mochachocolata Rita says
May 16, 2008 at 8:07 amI’m not much of a vanilla ice cream girl, but this looks nice! i havent ventured far enough to making my own ice cream yet ^_^
tigerfish says
May 16, 2008 at 8:48 amI love real vanilla ice-cream, just like that!
I don’t enjoy vanilla ice-cream which I can’t even see the spots of vanilla. Then I get the feeling of being duped that I was served ice-cream with just vanilla essence :O
canarygirl says
May 16, 2008 at 9:41 amYummy! Vanilla bean ice-cream is my very favorite. 🙂
Sylvie says
May 16, 2008 at 10:37 amYour photo and the ice cream look pretty good to me. I’m starting to get convinced that I need an ice cream maker!
Grace says
May 16, 2008 at 11:54 amwe’ve got vanilla, french vanilla, less sugar vanilla, lite vanilla, vanilla yogurt, and vanilla bean ice cream, just to name a few. vanilla bean is far and away my favorite, and yours looks fantastic.
chriesi says
May 16, 2008 at 1:04 pmMmmm…delicious!
Gloria says
May 16, 2008 at 1:07 pmI love vanilla Kevin is so delicious and this look wonderful and you dont believe this: I post an apples tarta so nice with this Vanilla Ice cream. Yummy recipe!!xGloria
cakewardrobe says
May 16, 2008 at 1:49 pmIce cream is so difficult to photograph! You should put your bowl in the freezer before photographing. Make sure everything is set up, including your camera before you finally make that shot. Prepping before hand makes a huge difference. Regardless, I think you have a very nice shot!
Sangeeth says
May 16, 2008 at 1:56 pmanything with vanilla i am in. its my fav flavour…your vanilla bean recipe rocks….
nicisme says
May 16, 2008 at 2:23 pmI’m really enjoying making ice cream at the moment and vanilla is one of my favourites. Looks really good!
JennDZ - The Leftover Queen says
May 16, 2008 at 3:50 pmLooks great Kevin! I love making ice cream, I actually have a post about it coming up! Vanilla is one of my favorites too, especially when you can see the vanilla bean seeds!
Melanie says
May 16, 2008 at 5:13 pmWow! That looks awesome. Vanilla ice cream is worth it if it is made with real vanilla beans!
Indigo says
May 16, 2008 at 5:46 pmOh but I love the melty shots! And vanilla ice cream is so good; it makes such a great base to throw other things in as well XD.
Hillary says
May 16, 2008 at 5:55 pmMmmm…this makes me wish I had an ice cream maker!
diva says
May 16, 2008 at 7:24 pmkevin! that looks amazing. just what i need to pair with my rhubarb grunt! 🙂
Elle says
May 16, 2008 at 7:32 pmWhat about the photo??? It looks deeelicious to me! I love the little speckles of vanilla bean!
Marc @ NoRecipes says
May 17, 2008 at 2:58 amLooks delicious Kevin. Whenever i photograph ice cream I stick the dish I’m putting it in into the freezer for about 20 minutes to get it nice and cold. It keeps the ice cream from melting too quickly.
Peter M says
May 17, 2008 at 8:00 amKevin, I’m with you..vanilla ice cream is tops.
Mike of Mike's Table says
May 17, 2008 at 2:42 pmIt looks great and I agree, frozen dessert photos are the worst. Its like a ticking time bomb…
I tried some “fancy” plating with a gelato (not posted yet) recently and I just couldn’t get a photo I liked. I kept trying to adjust things here and there to get it just right, until finally, everything fell apart and made quite a fantastic mess. lol, my first ever food photo shoot that required a total re-do.
Rosie says
May 19, 2008 at 3:14 pmOh my homemade Vaniila ice cream such pure pleasure in a dish!! It looks SO delicious Kevin!
Rosie x
Daziano says
May 20, 2008 at 12:36 amI LOVE ice cream!!!!!!
Springinhetveld says
July 26, 2008 at 11:35 amHi, really nice recipe! I tried it out and it tasted really great!
By the way, if you want to learn more about vanilla please visit my web site http://vanilla.servolux.nl
Jared says
August 25, 2008 at 6:51 pmOne thing you can try to get a good picture before it melts is to freeze the bowl that the ice cream is going in before you scoop it.