Authentic french vanilla ice cream recipe
This one’s a scoop of heaven! French vanilla ice cream the authentic way—made with egg yolks, cream, and a real vanilla bean. It starts with a slow-cooked custard, gets chilled, then churned into the smoothest, creamiest ice cream ever. Think rich, golden, and full of that dreamy vanilla flavor you only get from the real stuff!
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed Saucepan
- Fine mesh sieve
- Ice cream churner
Ingredients
- 2 cups 500 ml whole milk
- 2 cups 500 ml heavy cream
- 6 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
- 1 whole vanilla bean or 2 tsp pure vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Split the vanilla bean: Slice it lengthwise and scrape the seeds. Add both seeds and pod to a saucepan with milk, cream, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat. Let steep for 15 minutes.
- Make the custard base: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar until pale and thick. Slowly pour in the warm milk mixture while whisking constantly (tempering the eggs so they don’t scramble!).
- Cook the custard: Return everything to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon (or reaches 170–175°F / 77–80°C).
- Strain and chill: Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Pro tip: place the bowl in an ice bath to speed things up.)
- Churn: Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine takes about 20 minutes.
- Freeze: Transfer to a container, cover with parchment directly on the surface, and freeze for 4–6 hours until scoopable.
Notes
- Don’t skip steeping the vanilla—it intensifies the flavor.
- Use metal or glass bowls for cooling custard—they chill faster.
- Custard too thick? You may have overcooked it. Still salvageable—just blend it before churning.