Get yourself ready to indulge in the creamy delight of homemade real vanilla ice cream. This classic frozen treat is the epitome of pure comfort and deliciousness, perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth on a warm summer day.
Creating this heavenly dessert is easier than you think. Start by gathering the finest ingredients: fresh cream, whole milk, sugar, and, of course, real vanilla beans. Split open the vanilla beans and scrape out those tiny black seeds, releasing their aromatic essence. Don’t let a single speck go to waste!
In a saucepan, gently heat the cream and milk then add those precious vanilla seeds to infuse. Then add this blissful mix to the sugar and eggs and reheat until it thickens. Leave it to cool, or use an ice bath then prepare to churn in your ice cream maker. Don’t worry if you don’t have an ice cream maker, there’s a simple, manual alternative in the recipe!
The result? A velvety, dreamy vanilla ice cream that will transport you to dessert heaven with each spoonful.
Now, resist the temptation to devour it all immediately! Transfer the ice cream to a lidded container and let it firm up in the freezer for a few hours. Your patience will be well worth it and you’ll be rewarded with a scoopable, speckled delight that melts luxuriously on your tongue.
Serve your homemade real vanilla ice cream in a cone or alongside a still warm chocolate brownie. The creamy, pure vanilla flavour will complement any dessert or stand confidently on its own. Get creative with toppings – a drizzle of hot fudge, a sprinkle of toasted nuts, or even fresh berries for a burst of fruity goodness.
So, don’t settle for anything less than homemade real vanilla ice cream. Treat yourself to this divine dessert, lovingly crafted with your own fair hand and bursting with true vanilla luxury. Your taste buds, your family and your friends will thank you. Also, you’ll never look at a cheap, store-bought ice cream the same way again!
Equipment: An Ice Cream Maker is optional for this recipe but if you don’t have one never fear. Get out your Blender and some basic equipment like a set of Electronic scales and a Resealable, freezer-safe container and follow the instructions below
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Homemade Real Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Homemade ‘Real’ Vanilla Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker Optional (See recipe for a simple, manual alternative)
- 1 Resealable, freezer-safe container At least 1lt in size
- 1 Stick blender wt whisk Or hand whisk
Ingredients
- 4 yolks Egg
- 100 gram Sugar (Caster or superfine)
- 320 ml Milk (Full fat is best)
- 320 ml Double cream
- 1 Vanilla pod
Instructions
Prep
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites and place to the side in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate the whites to use later (See recipe notes for suggestions)
- Cut the vanilla pod in half, length ways, and use the back of a knife to scrape out the tiny vanilla seeds. Place both the seeds and the pod to one side on a plate. (See recipe notes for a way to use the empty vanilla pod)
- Weigh/ measure out the other ingredients
To Make
- Heat the milk over a medium high heat and remove from the heat just before it boils, add the vanilla seeds, stir well and allow to cool a little
- As the milk is cooling, place the sugar to the egg yolks into a clean bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined. The mixture will become paler and increase in size after a couple of minutes
- While still whisking, pour over the warm milk slowly until combined
- Return the mixture into the pan on a low medium heat and keep stirring for 2-4 minutes until the mixture thickens a little. To test the thickening, dip a spoon into the custard and run your finger down the back. If it leaves a clean line and holds its shape somewhat, it is done
- Remove from the heat and pour into a cool bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature or place it in an ice bath to cool quicker. (See recipe notes) Stir frequently during the cooling process
- Once cooled, if using an ice cream maker, follow the user guidelines for best results. Once churned, place in a resealable, freezer-safe container and store in the freezer
- If making this recipe manually, keep the cooled mixture in the ice bath and continue to whisk for 3-5 additional minutes depending on whether you're mixing manually or with an electric mix. Once this is done, scrape into your resealable, freezer-safe container. Place in the freezer for ½ hour. After ½ hour, remove and stir well using a spatula or spoon, making sure to scrape down the sides of the container and place back in the freezer. Repeat every ½ hour for the next 2 hours. After this, repeat the stirring every hour until the desired consistency and smoothness is reached. This repeated stirring discourages the formation of ice crystals and leaves you with a delicious smooth ice cream
To Serve
- Store in the freezer and take out 10-20 minutes before serving (depending on your ambient temperature) to allow the ice cream to soften a little. Serve as desired
Notes
- Here are 3 ideas for using up those versatile egg whites :
- Meringue: Whip egg whites with sugar to create light and fluffy meringue or whip longer for a pavlova base
- Soufflé: Use whipped egg whites as a base for a light and fluffy soufflé
- Egg White Omelette: Make a healthy and protein-rich omelette by using only the whites. Add vegetables, herbs, and cheese for added flavour
- While it’s usually those precious little seeds we want for cooking, there are certainly uses for the empty vanilla pod. My particular favourite is to place them in a resealable container with plain sugar. The pods will last for a very long time and keep imparting their flavour and aroma to make a delicious vanilla sugar, perfect in a dessert or a cup of coffee
- For this purpose, an ice bath is just placing your bowl inside a slightly bigger bowl with ice and/ or cold water at the bottom. Make sure not to overfill so the water doesn’t reach into the ice cream mixture and stir occasionally until cooled