Vanilla Ice Cream

To make this vanilla ice cream recipe, start by preparing all the ingredients.

Split the vanilla bean in half...

...and scrape out the seeds using the tip of a knife.

Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the vanilla seeds...

...along with the split vanilla pod.

Add half the caster sugar to the milk and bring it to a boil.

Place the egg yolks and the remaining half of the sugar in a mixing bowl.

Blanch the two together with a whisk until the sugar grains no longer make a scraping sound against the bottom of the bowl.

When the milk reaches boiling point...

...pour it over the mixture while stirring with the whisk.

Then transfer the mixture back into the saucepan and cook [TERME\:alanappe\:'à la nappe'] (until the texture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon), stirring continuously with a silicone spatula in 8-shaped motions at the bottom of the pan to prevent the eggs from curdling. The temperature should rise gradually to 82°C. It's recommended to use a probe thermometer to monitor the cooking process.

Gradually, the custard will thicken slightly and coat the spatula. It's done when it coats the spatula evenly: if you swipe a finger across the spatula, the mark should remain visible.

Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a cold mixing bowl.

Press the mixture through the sieve with the spatula to extract the vanilla seeds.

Stir occasionally with the spatula until the custard has completely cooled.

Once cooled, cover the vanilla custard with cling film in direct contact, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

After the custard has matured, remove it from the fridge and peel off the cling film.

Pour the custard into a ice cream maker.

Insert the mixing paddle...

...and close the machine with the lid and motor block. Churn for at least 40 to 45 minutes, until the ice cream is formed.

Once churning is complete, your vanilla ice cream is ready.

Transfer the vanilla ice cream into a container and place in the freezer. Enjoy!