The scoop on ice cream

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Summer, my favorite time of year, when work relaxes a bit, days are longer, obligations are fluid.  It’s the season that I tend to pick up a hobby or project, nothing intense or high pressure, just a fun, creative or relaxing something or other. I’ve done sour dough, sewing, painting, cutting glass, yoga, Faulkner, fancy pickles...

One year, when my kids were young, it was ice cream.  Mama Sarah made ice cream all the time when I was a kid, for family reunions and pool parties, usually strawberry or dark chocolate. I tried out different recipes from my own cookbooks, the New York Times, Country Living and various other sources, and the results tasted good, but there was a recurring problem:  the ice cream froze so hard it was difficult to serve.  Then I discovered the Cook’s Illustrated custard-based version (July/August 2011) which goes into the science of ice crystal formation. Custard recipes can vary, but the trick that Cook’s let me in on is keeping everything as cold as possible before churning to ensure the forming of small ice crystals as opposed to large ones. Thus, luscious, velvety ice cream.

It’s not complicated but it’s not quick either, a two-day process usually, and I make a few batches every year. Although I’d like to branch out with fancier flavors like pistachio almond or mint chocolate chip, my family says, “Just make vanilla,” so they can pair it with whatever they like – cake, pie, Biscoff cookies, fruit, Dr. Pepper, a dusting of coffee grounds, crushed Oreos, etc. Vanilla is the white linen of ice cream.

And so, I’m sharing the recipe here, in the spirit of summer, and encourage you to treat yourself and those you love with a delightful batch of homemade ice cream. Everyone will say, "Did you really make this?"

Tips to know before you start:

-  Place your ice cream maker’s canister in a freezer a couple of days before you plan to churn the ice cream.

-  Also place a metal baking pan (8 or 9-inch) in the freezer.

-  Use a digital thermometer when making the custard.

- A batter bowl is a handy receptacle for the cooked custard, especially if it has a lid. The spout makes it easy to pour the custard into the cannister for churning.

- Use a small-size pre-frozen bowl (metal if possible) for storing the cup of frozen custard in the freezer. 

- If you are really OCD, you might strain the custard just before churning, but I never do that.

- I put the churn in the kitchen sink and replenish ice and salt as needed. If you are churning outside, you may need to add ice more frequently.

- Bonus points if you can get your hands on farm fresh eggs and dairy milk. Save the egg whites for French toast.

Vanilla Ice Cream (about 1 quart)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-3/4 cup heavy cream

1-1/4 cups whole milk

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

6 large egg yolks

Ice Cream Salt

1-3 bags of ice

Combine vanilla, cream, milk, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, corn syrup and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring, until mixture is steaming and registers 175 degrees. Remove saucepan from heat.

Whisk egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk one cup of the heated cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture.  Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and registers 180 degrees. Immediately pour the custard into a large bowl and let the custard cool until it stops steaming. Transfer 1 cup of custard to a smaller bowl (can be prechilled), cover both bowls.  Place the large bowl in the fridge and the small bowl in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to churn, remove custards from fridge and freezer and scrape frozen custard into chilled custard. Stir until dissolved. Get the cannister components out of the freezer and set up the churn.  Pour the custard into the cannister and churn according to directions at least 35 minutes, probably longer, until it resembles soft-serve ice cream.

Transfer the ice cream to a frozen metal baking pan and press plastic wrap onto the surface.  Return to freezer for at least a couple of hours.  Transfer ice cream into an airtight container and freeze at least a couple more hours.