For some reason it feels like the past few summers have started mild. By the time we are gearing up for school to start in August, being outside is an excellent way to see how much you can sweat before passing out. Well this year is no exception. Last week I was wearing my sweatshirt to watch Tyler participate in our All-City swim meet and this week I am sweating just from walking to get the mail. Craziness!
Given the heat outside, it is a perfect time to make homemade ice cream. We love our new ice cream maker
I really liked this recipe for the convenience because I could skip the step of making a custard with the egg yolks. The ice cream is still rich and delicious without much of the work. Still, in the interest of science, I may need to make a custard version and this Philadelphia style at the same time for a side by side comparison. Nobody complained about this ice cream and we all loved it. I think ice cream is one of those items where the ice cream you are eating at the moment is your favorite. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Vanilla Ice Cream
ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (you can omit and just add a little more vanilla extract)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
directions:
Combine 1 cup of the cream with the sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean (if using) into the pan and drop in the vanilla pod. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup of cream, the milk and the vanilla.
Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is well chilled. Remove the vanilla bean before churning. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
*I have made this without the vanilla bean and it is still fabulous!
