Thomas Jefferson Vanilla Ice Cream Edna Lewis

By John_Merillat

Only four recipes exist in Thomas Jefferson's handwriting--one of them is for vanilla ice cream. it has continued to be a favorite dessert for Southerners. The formula here is rich with egg yolks and cream, and both vanilla bean and vanilla extract for deeper flavor. The salt in the custard serves to heighten the flavor without adding a salty taste.

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 8 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the milk and vanilla bean in a medium-sized nonreactive saucepan until just below the boiling point.

Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 20 minutes to allow the milk to become infused with the flavor of the vanilla.

Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl, and whisk in the sugar to blend.

Slowly whisk 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg-and-sugar mixture to temper the egg yolks, and then stir the tempered yolks into the remaining milk in the saucepan.

Return the saucepan to the stove, and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until most of the air bubbles that begin to cover the surface have dissipated and the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon thickly. (About 170 F)

DO NOT EVER allow the custard to simmer or boil.

Remove from heat, and stir in the heavy cream. Allow the custard to cool completely, and stir in the salt and vanilla extract and chill very cold overnight.

Next day, strain through a strainer to remove the coagulated egg and vanilla bean fragments.

Freeze the custard in an ice-cream freezer.