Preparing Vanilla Ice Cream

Classic Vanilla Ice Cream (Makes ~1 litre)

Equipment Needed:

• Medium saucepan

• Mixing bowls (2)

• Whisk

• Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula

• Fine mesh sieve

• Measuring jug/cups

• Ice cream maker (or see manual method below)

• Airtight container (for freezing)

• Digital thermometer (optional but helpful)

 Ingredients:

• 500ml whole milk

• 300ml double cream (heavy cream)

• 150g caster sugar

• 1 vanilla pod (or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or good extract)

• 5 large egg yolks

• Pinch of salt

 Time:

 Method:

1. Infuse Milk with Vanilla:

• Split the vanilla pod, scrape out seeds.

• Add pod and seeds to a saucepan with milk, half the sugar, and salt.

• Heat gently to a simmer, then remove from heat and let infuse for 15–20 minutes.

2. Make the Custard Base:

• In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and thick.

• Reheat infused milk until warm (not boiling).

• Gradually whisk warm milk into yolks (temper), then return to the saucepan.

• Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (or reaches ~82–84°C / 180–183°F).

• Do not let it boil.

3. Strain and Chill:

• Strain custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.

• Stir in the cream.

• Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

4. Churn:

• Pour into an ice cream maker and churn until thick and creamy (usually 20–30 min depending on the machine).

5. Freeze to Set:

• Transfer to a container and freeze for at least 2–4 hours to firm up before serving.

 No Ice Cream Maker?

• After chilling the custard, pour it into a shallow container.

• Freeze, stirring vigorously with a fork or whisk every 30–45 minutes for 3–4 hours to break up ice crystals. It won’t be quite as smooth, but still delicious.

 Nutritional Information (Per 100g serving — Approximate):

Serving size: ~4–6 portions per litre depending on appetite.