Vanilla Ice Cream

The preparation

8 steps, about 30 minutes start to finish.

1. 01

   Combine the half-and-half and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.

2. 02

   In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they lighten slightly in color. Gradually whisk in the sugar until combined.

3. 03

   Temper the eggs: Slowly pour a small amount of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add a little more at a time until about one-third of the cream has been incorporated.

4. 04

   Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 170-175 degrees F. Do not let it boil.

5. 05

   Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then stir in the vanilla extract.

6. 06

   Refrigerate, loosely covered, until completely cold and below 40 degrees F, at least 4 hours or overnight.

7. 07

   Pour the cold custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer directions, approximately 25-35 minutes.

8. 08

   Serve immediately as soft serve, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 hours until firm.