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The BEST Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
I received no measurements but I am pretty used to that. Big Mama cooks and bakes through instinct and has perfected that art. I, however, am a bit more calculated with my process in the kitchen. I am creative and zany with my ideas but just need a bit more structure.
Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe Ingredients
So I worked on this vanilla ice cream recipe and tried figuring out ratios that would work. And I think I came pretty close. Here are the ingredients that make this recipe super special:
- Egg Yolks and Eggs
- Sugar
- Heavy Cream
- Half and Half
- Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Paste
- Flour
You will notice the large amount of eggs and egg yolks are in this recipe. It makes the custard incredibly scoopable when placed in the freezer for long periods of time. It also makes the custard super indulgent when combined with granulated sugar.
The creaminess of the recipe definitely comes from the addition of both heavy cream and half and half. It makes the custard so rich.
To really punch up the vanilla flavor, I added vanilla bean paste to the original vanilla ice cream recipe to really punch up the vanilla flavor in addition to the vanilla extract. Vanilla extract can sometimes be subtle but the vanilla paste conveniently adds flecks throughout without having to scrape vanilla beans. I love see the flecks of vanilla bean throughout the ice cream, too.
Finally, Big Mama added flour to her vanilla ice cream recipe. She added just a bit to thicken it. It ended up being something super genius that I’ve never seen before.
The only thing that was missing from this vanilla ice cream was Big Mama’s love so I added a heaping tablespoon of that for good measure.
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
This recipe begins with developing a warm custard over the stove. If you have never tried a custard based ice cream, you will love it. While it takes a bit more time, the results are incredibly creamy and silky.
Adding a hot milk mixture to eggs can be difficult so you must make sure you temper!
Tip 1: You will drip in the hot milk mixture in slow increments and whisk vigorously. You must do this so that the eggs don’t scramble.
After the custard is ready, you will need to cool it. This is a step that most people miss. I have seen all types of mistakes.
Tip 2: Cool Your Custard Completely!
It will need to be completely cold in order to go into your ice cream maker and freeze correctly. If not, you will be making ice cream soup.
This ice cream is definitely one of my favorites. The flavors are completely pure. If you love this one, you will absolutely love my strawberry ice cream as well since it is a variation of this. My Berry Ripple Ice Cream is similar too with just a punch of berry flavor.
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What To Serve with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
- There is nothing like a piece of my Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe along with a scoop of this.
- This Cherries Jubilee is fantastic over vanilla ice cream.
- Speaking of peaches, this Caramel Peach Dump Cake is amazing with this ice cream too.
- If you love chocolate and vanilla, this coca cola cake is incredible!
- A scoop of this over warm my Pineapple Upside Down Cake is also a good move.
- And of course there is nothing like ice cream and pound cake. My cream cheese pound cake is definitely the one to make.
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker Machine
Ingredients
- 2 large large eggs
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups half and half
- pinch of all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons vanilla paste
Instructions
- Beat eggs and egg yolks in a medium sized bowl. Next add sugar to the bowl and whisk together.
- Add heavy cream and half and half to a large saucepan and heat gently; do not let come to a boil.
- Temper eggs by slowly pour 1 cup of hot heavy cream mixture into egg mixture while whisking quickly. This will raise the temperature of the eggs carefully without scrambling them. Then while stirring, pour the tempered egg mixture slowly into the remaining heavy cream mixture in the saucepan.
- Gently heat ice cream base over medium low heat, stirring constantly (especially the corners of the pot), until thickened and reaches 170F on a digital thermometer. The mixture should look silky and coat the back of a spoon so when you run your finger through it, it doesn’t come back together.
- Remove from heat and add small pinch of flour and vanilla.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve (to catch any cooked egg pieces) and chill in an ice bath (a bowl set inside of a bowl of ice water) until it’s cooled to room temperature. Then cover with plastic wrap and move into the refrigerator until completely cold, about 2-3 hours.
- Once completely cooled, add your mixture to an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions and freeze.
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Yum! Sounds very similar for my mother’s recipe! Great job!
Oh yeah Bill! Then you know it is a hit!
Vanilla ice cream is my favorite! I like that you can add anything you want to it. Your recipe sounds like a hit!
I agree! It is my fave too and I adore adding in new flavors. This is a great base recipe!
This looks incredible. I can’t even take it. Real deal vanilla ice cream could probably sustain me for months at a time. Super pretty pics, too, lady. <3
I have never thought to add flour to ice cream but this is a great idea! I’ll take a big slice of pie with a scoop of this ice cream, please!
Oh yeah! It was something I never thought of adding before until my grandmother told me she added it to hers.
Jocelyn, I’m pretty sure I just died and went to Pie A La Mode Heaven! This ice cream looks like the perfect consistency (and I may just have to borrow that flour trick). What a beautiful way to top your peach pie!
Hooray! Yes the flour trick does work wonders.
Oh this looks creamy good!!! And your big mama is just like my mom on the phone when I ask how to recreate some of our African dishes. No measurements lol! The best way to cook 🙂
Yep no measurements so you get as close as you possibly can right? Ha
your big mama sounds like my mom. . my mom never measures anything and just knows exactly how much to throw in. I love that. and I love this ice cream!!! looks pretty fabulous to me . . and love the idea of using flour!
I seriously wonder how we actually got the recipes passed down without real measurements right? But I do love how instinctive their style of cooking is. The flour trick is awesome!
I with Stephanie, it doesn’t get much better than homemade pie with a scoop of homemade ice cream on top!
I agree with you both! There is truly nothing better!
Homemade pie with a scoop of homemade ice cream on top? Perfection. I want it for second breakfast.
I think homemade pie and ice cream should be mandatory for breakfast!
I had my heart set on making my grandmother’s “New York Ice Cream” for the fourth but after pulling out the original directions, I had forgotten you add whipped egg whites to the cold custard before you freeze it. As we were having 20+ people over, I decided against the raw egg whites. Glad you got close with yours. It’s a keeper for the simple fact that you got it written down!
Indeed! You just get as close as you possibly can right?