The Best Homemade Vanilla Bean Frozen Custard Recipes

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean in half. Use the back of the knife to gently scrape the caviar out of the bean and into a large saucepan. Add the vanilla bean, half-and-half and sugar and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl until pale yellow and slightly thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Temper the yolks by slowly drizzling a ladle of the hot half-and-half mixture into the bowl, whisking the whole time. Repeat with a second ladle of the hot half-and-half mixture, again whisking the whole time.
• Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining half-and-half mixture and cook over low heat, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, until it's thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Set a fine-mesh strainer over a clean bowl. Pour the custard through the strainer into the bowl. Add the heavy cream to the strained mixture and stir everything together. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
• Pour the chilled mix into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer until frozen firm, at least 6 hours (but overnight is best for nice scoopable ice cream). Serve on its own or with warm apple crisp.

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together until mixture changes from dark golden to pale yellow becomes fluffy.
• Heat milk and cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom. Cook just until mixture starts to simmer when little bubbles begin to appear on the surface, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk a ladleful of milk-cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Add another ladleful and whisk thoroughly before adding the next (this will keep the eggs from cooking). Gradually add the remaining milk-cream mixture and whisk thoroughly. Whisk in vanilla. Cool completely (you can place the bowl in a larger bowl with ice water to cool it faster).
• Pour cooled mixture into a pitcher; cover. Refrigerate until ice cold or overnight.
• Pour custard mixture into ice cream maker and process (according to manufacturer's instructions) until custard reaches the consistency of soft ice cream, about 20 minutes. Quickly transfer to a plastic container. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the custard. Cover container and freeze until custard is firm enough to scoop, at least 3 hours.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place an oven rack one-third of the way up from the bottom. Choose a small roasting pan large enough to hold four 6-ounce custard cups, and fill it with enough water to go halfway up the sides of cups. Place pan without cups in the oven. Meanwhile, combine cream, milk, and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan; bring to boil.
• Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly whisk in the hot milk until completely combined, then pour into custard cups, and place them in the pan of hot water. Bake on the lower shelf until the custard has set and is no longer liquid when lightly touched in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, remove custard cups from the water, and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine first three ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool. Pour into chilled ice cube trays without dividers or a shallow pan. Freeze to a mush (do not freeze hard). Whip cream; add vanilla and salt. Fold into partially frozen mixture. Return to trays or pan and freeze.