VANILLA ICE CREAM, PHILADELPHIA-STYLE

Vanilla Ice Cream, Philadelphia-Style image

Yield makes about 1 quart (1 liter)

Number Of Ingredients 5

3 cups (750 ml) heavy cream, or 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream and 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

Pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod to the pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups (500 ml) cream (or the remaining 1 cup, 250 ml, cream and the milk) and the vanilla extract.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Perfect Pairing
To make Caramel-Chocolate Ripple Ice Cream, layer 1 cup each Fudge Ripple (page 210) and Salted Butter Caramel Sauce (page 174) into the just-churned custard.
French vs. American
There are two basic styles of ice cream: French-style, which is a cooked custard made with egg yolks, and Philadelphia-style, made with cream or a combination of cream and milk, but without eggs.
French-style ice creams tend to be smoother and silkier, due to the emulsifying power of the egg yolks, which get cooked on the stovetop, requiring a bit of cooking prowess. Philadelphia-style ice creams can simply be mixed or puréed together, chilled thoroughly, and then frozen. Philadelphia-style ice creams have no egg yolks, so they tend to be a bit firmer, freeze harder, and have a somewhat chewier texture. The advantage is that they're a little lighter tasting and are easier to make.