Ina's Vanilla Ice Cream

Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved
Show: Barefoot Contessa
Episode: Farmstand Dinner

Ingredients

3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped from

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the cream, sugar, vanilla, and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan only until the sugar is dissolved. Be sure the sugar is dissolved - you will no longer feel any grittiness from the sugar if you rub some cream between your fingers. Strain into a bowl, cover, and chill very well. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's directions. Spoon into a freezer container and allow to chill in the freezer for a few hours. Allow to soften before serving.
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REVIEWS:

So simple and so effective. Thank you again, Ina. I am a vanilla ice cream type of person and because I really like the vanilla flavour, I know a good vanilla ice cream when I taste one - this is a definite winner. It is so easy to make (much easier than many other recipes I tried in the past and, if you have a half decent ice cream maker (I have the Breville one, can be on your table from start to finish within 20 minutes (not counting cooling off the mixture.

This is really good ice cream, especially with the actual vanilla bean. It also super easy! I served it at a party with plenty of toppings! Very yummy!!

Delicious and so easy. This will be a go-to recipe for quick vanilla ice cream.

This recipe came out perfect ! My husband (40+ French chef was doubtful and made me learn how to make crème anglaise ! He took it all back once he tried my ice cream. I told him of the ratings you had about it tasting too greasy. My first thought was maybe they're using junk cream. Jean (husband said they are probably whisking it. Don't blame it on Ina. I love watching your show. I'm an American that was dragged to France thirty years ago and am often homesick but I know good food and cooking now. Watching Ina makes me remember and I'm not so homesick. Thank you Ina.

Made this recipe after seeing it shown on a recent episode of Bare Foot Contessa here in Aus. First ever attempt at icecream and whole container was consumed by all the family members who just happened to call around the day I made it. So much for that container lasting husband and I a week! Took note of others comments and substituted 150 mls of skim milk for some of the cream, used castor sugar as not sure what sort of sugar (?granulated or castor was required. Also no vanilla beans in pantry but substituted with a good slurp of really good vanilla extract.

Used just a generic ice cream maker that someone donated to me and was delighted with the end result. So much so I am whipping up another batch today.

Made apple pie and apple crisp and wanted a quick but tasty recipe for homemade vanilla ice cream to go with it. This was superb and worked great in my counter top ice cream maker. Definitely a keeper!

I made this ice cream as a way to kick off football season. Sandwiched between two cookies, it earned rave reviews!!

I didn't have a vanilla bean so I added 1/8 teaspoon more of the vanilla to the recipe. It turned out great. Thank you Ina....you are the best.

I love this reciept. Although I did alter it a bit. I used 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup half and half. I also added 1/2 cup vanilla sugar and 1/4 cup reg sugar instead of 2/3 cup reg sugar. I love vanilla and really wanted that intense flavor. It was perfect. So easy to make too. It was the first time I made Ice Cream. As always Ina comes through. Will never stop turning to her for inspiration!

This tasted good and was really easy to make. The only problem was that it left a waxy film residue in my mouth. The next time I made it, I substituted half and half for the cream and that fixed the residue problem although it certainly wasn't as rich as the original.

This is not a low-fat recipe I suppose, but ice cream and low-fat probably shouldn't go in the same sentence. I loved this ice cream!!!!

Yeah this is the kind of thing you can't get in a store. Really amazing ice cream. This could be used as a base for any other ice cream as well. Extremely rich.

This was a real crowd-pleaser. I tripled the recipe to make 3 quarts, and I used 7 1/2 cups of cream plus 1 1/2 cups of half-and-half. Also, I used nearly a cup of vanilla sugar with the 2 cups of sugar called for. I was looking for an intense vanilla experience and this filled the bill. Plus, it keeps well -- unlike most homemade ice creams.

I think the recipe should include 4 egg yolks because in her TV show (I recorded she added the same amount to this recipe, so I added them and it came out great. I added 3 cups of half and half and 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of sugar. I should of added 1/2 cup of heavy cream and only 1/2 a cup sugar. Ina Rocks in everything that she cooks.

If I make this again, I would definitely substitute milk or h+h for some of the heavy cream. This literally left a greasy film in my mouth, which I've never experienced with a dessert before. Normally I give Ina 5 stars on everything, but I threw all this in the garbage.

Not a vanilla ice cream lover but had a dinner party and decided to try this recipe. Everyone raved about it. Did follow other reviews and substituted 1 1/2 cups of half and half instead of all heavy cream. Since I did not have a vanilla bean added extra 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract instead and it still was very good. A keeper especially since the recipe is so easy.

No - this is not an everyday dessert. If you're looking for low-fat, look elsewhere. But if you want the best vanilla ice cream you've ever tasted, this is the recipe!

Took only five minutes, tasted fantastic and worked beautifully!

This recipe took only five minutes, tasted wonderful and worked beautifully! It is the perfect quick dessert for any special occasion!

This was the easiest and best tasting Ice Cream I have made at home. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

Sorry, Ina, but it felt as if I was eating pure butterfat. Tried it with hot fudge to lessen the after taste but nothing worked. On the plus side, it is always fun to try your recipes. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

If you want a recipe lower in calories, there are many. But this is REAL ice CREAM, not ice milk. The flavor is fresh and vanilla bean adds to perfection. Vanilla ice cream doesn't get better than this and it's so easy!

If you use a good vanilla bean, the ice cream will rock your world...and it took 5 minutes to prepare (not counting cooling and freezing. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because the ice cream leaves a film of butterfat on the roof of your mouth because it's made entirely with heavy cream. Next time I'm going to cut with Half & Half and see if that helps.

This was the best home-made ice cream I've had in a very long time. This is not a low calorie type food. I don't believe that is what it was called so why are you surprised!? It was great!

This recipe tastes great. But real heavy cream has so many calories. I can sub 1 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 half & half to get the same flavor and less than half the calories. You can also sub splenda for the sugar. The only difference is, with the milk, the mixture will need longer to freezer b/c it doesn't thicken like the cream. I'm a huge Ina fan and I know she isn't known for low cal cooking, but this is one recipe that can be easily changed without changing the flavor.

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