| Vanilla Ice Cream 2 cups milk 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup sugar pinch of salt 4 egg yolks 2 tsp. vanilla extract Heat the milk, cream and sugar and salt to just below the boiling point (it will start steaming). Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and add some of the hot milk mixture to it slowly while whisking. Add the egg yolk mixture back to the pan of hot milk. Heat until slightly thickened, but don’t boil. It should be just under a boil. Take it off the heat and add the vanilla. Pour into a container and refrigerate over night. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers directions. Variations: Butter Pecan: Substitute all or part of the sugar with brown sugar, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons butter to the milk before heating and 1 to 2 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans during the last few minutes of churning. Chocolate: Add 1/2 cup chocolate syrup to the chilled mixture. For double chocolate, also add 1 cup mini chocolate chips during the last few minutes of churning. Coconut: Substitute 1 can (13 oz) coconut milk for the milk in the recipe and add 1 cup shredded coconut (toasted or not) to the mixture before chilling in refrigerator. Coffee: Stir in 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules into the warm mixture before chilling in refrigerator. Cookies and Cream: Break 15 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos) into small pieces and add into ice cream during the last 5 minutes of churning. Fruit: Add 1 cup fruit puree to the chilled mixture. If desired, add cut up fruit during the last 5 minutes of churning. Mint Chocolate Chip: Stir in 1/2 cup green creme de menthe (or reduce the vanilla to 1 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and a few drops of green food coloring, if desired) into the chilled mixture before freezing. Add 1 cup mini chocolate chips during the last few minutes of churning. Mocha: Add 1/2 cup chocolate syrup and 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules to the warm mixture before chilling in refrigerator. |
