Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Reason for the extra large photo......so that you can see the vanilla beans!!! Haha this vanilla bean ice cream is absolutely yummy!! Creamy and smooth, and so so flavourful, no preservative, no colouring, sugar to your taste (a bit too sweet this round, would probably reduce sugar further next time) and all natural!

Adapted from the perfect scoop by David Lebovitz

Ingredients

1 cup milk
150g sugar (I reduced to 100g)
2 cups whipping cream
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split
6 large egg yolks (I used medium yolks)
3/4 tsp vanilla extract (I omitted)

Method

1. Warm milk, 1 cup cream, sugar & salt in a medium saucepan.
2. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from heat and let it steep at room temp. for 30 mins.
3. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a strainer on top. in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
4. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until mixture thickens and coat the back of a spoon.
5. Pour custard through the strainer into the cream. put the vanilla bean into the custard, add the extract (or bean paste) and stir until cool over an ice bath (I didn't use an ice bath).
6. Chill the mixture thoroughly then churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions then freeze until firm. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can place the mixture in a shallow metal tray and freeze, whisking every couple of hours until frozen and creamy.