Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Separate: 6 eggs.

   Step 2

   Whisk the yolks just enough to break them up. Pour into a heavy-bottomed pot: 1 1/2 cups half-and-half, 2/3 cup sugar, A pinch of salt.

   Step 3

   Split in half lengthwise: 1/2 vanilla bean.

   Step 4

   Scrape the seeds into the pot with the half-and-half and sugar, then add the bean. Warm over medium heat until steaming, but do not allow to boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Whisk a little of the hot half-and-half into the egg yolks to temper them, then whisk the warmed yolks back into the hot half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (170°F). Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl. Retrieve the vanilla bean from the strainer and squeeze all the seeds and liquid from it back into the custard. Stir in: 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.

   Step 5

   Cover the custard and chill thoroughly.

   Step 6

   Freeze the chilled custard in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the frozen ice cream into a clean dry container, cover, and store in the freezer for several hours to firm up before serving.

2. Variations

   Step 7

   Once the ice cream is frozen, but before you store it in the freezer to form up, fold in 1 cup chopped chocolate, chopped toasted nuts, chopped candied nuts, or chopped candied citrus peel—or any combination.

   Step 8

   Chocolate ice cream: Melt 5 ounces semisweet chocolate and 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped, with 2 tablespoons butter. Gradually whisk in the warm custard mixture, stir in the heavy cream, chill, and freeze as above.

   Step 9

   Coffee ice cream: Omit the vanilla and add to the half-and-half 3/4 cup coffee beans with the sugar. When warm, turn off the heat and steep for 15 minutes. Strain, reheat, and proceed with the recipe.

   Step 10

   Ginger ice cream: Omit the vanilla. Peel a 3-inch piece of ginger and slice thin. Add to the half-and-half and sugar. When warm, turn off the heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain, reheat, and proceed with the recipe. If you like, fold 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger into the frozen ice cream.

   Step 11

   Cinnamon ice cream: Omit the vanilla and add 2 cinnamon sticks, slightly crushed, to the half-and-half and sugar. When warm, turn off the heat and steep for 25 minutes, or so. Strain when the flavor is to your taste, reheat, and proceed with the recipe.

   Step 12

   Mint-chocolate ice cream: Omit the vanilla and add 1 cup lightly packed fresh spearmint leaves to the half-and-half and sugar. When warm, turn off the heat and steep for about 10 minutes. Taste now and then, and strain when the flavor is to your taste. Reheat and proceed with the recipe. If you like, stir in 1 cup grated bittersweet chocolate.

   Step 13

   Caramel ice cream: Caramelize the sugar with 1/4 cup water. When dark brown, remove from the heat, pour in another 1/4 cup water, stir to dissolve the caramel, add to the half-and-half, and proceed with the recipe.

   Step 14

   Liqueur-flavored ice cream: Omit the vanilla bean and add 1/4 cup dark rum, Cognac, Calvados, or other liqueur with the cream.