Vanilla Ice.Cream base

  • Average
  • Average budget

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1cup whole milk
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • Your choice of flavoring

Preparation

Step 1

In a small pot, simmer heavy cream, milk, sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves., about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer)

Step 2

Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Churn in an ice cream machine.

Step 3

Additions: slice 2 vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape down the sides. Add seeds and pods or 1/2 cup whole coffee beans ground coarsely in a coffee grinder. Steep off the heal for 30 minutes before straining.

Step 4

Steep several small cinnamon sticks before straining.
See New York Times for additional flavoring.