VANILLA-BEAN ICE CREAM

Vanilla-Bean Ice Cream image

Yield Makes about 1 1/2 quart

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
2 large eggs
Special Equipment
an instant-read thermometer

Steps:

Combine cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla beans with tip of a knife into cream mixture, then drop in pods. Heat cream mixture just to a boil.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl, then add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Pour mixture into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and registers 170°F on thermometer (do not let boil).
Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean metal bowl, then cool, stirring occasionally. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.
Freeze custard in an ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer.