Vanilla bean ice cream is super tasty and goes well with warm desserts or by itself. With 2% milk and half and half, this recipe is made lighter!
– 2 cups 2% milk – 1 cup half-and-half – 1 vanilla bean – ¾ cups turbinado (raw) sugar – dash of salt – 2 large egg yolk – 1 ½ teaspoons real vanilla extract
Mix milk and half-and-half in a heavy medium sauce pan or Dutch oven. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a small paring knife. Spoon out the insides. In the pan, add the vanilla bean insides and all.
Heat the mixture on medium-high until tiny bubbles form around the edge (180 degrees). Avoid boiling! Cover and wait 10 minutes after removing from heat.
In a new bowl, mix sugar, salt, and egg yolks. Whip the mixture until pale. Whisking constantly, slowly add half of the milk mixture to the egg mixture to temper it.
Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pan with the remaining milk. Stir constantly over medium-low heat for two minutes (or 160 degrees). Pour the mixture into a bowl. Mix in vanilla extract.
Stir occasionally as the mixture cools to room temperature. Put the bowl in the fridge overnight. The mixture will have more time to cool and absorb vanilla bean flavour.
You should let it sit overnight if you can, but at least make sure it is completely chilled before moving on to the next step. It will taste creamier when it's cold.
Take out the solid vanilla bean with a spoon and throw it away. Put the mix into your ice cream maker and follow the directions that came with it.
To avoid melting when transferring ice cream, chill your freezer-safe container in the freezer. Freeze your ice cream for a few hours. Vanilla bean ice cream is scoopable and delicious!