Ice Cream Base

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tbsp vanilla
• 4 cups light cream (10%)
• 8 egg yolks
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar

Directions

1. Cut vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds.
2. Combine cream, vanilla seeds and bean pod in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale in colour.
4. Gradually pour the hot cream, 1/2 cup at a time, into the yolks mixture, whisking constantly to make sure the yolks don’t cook.
5. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Do not boil.
6. Meanwhile, set a medium bowl on top of a bowl of ice and water. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the cooked mixture into the medium bowl. This will immediately stop the mixture from cooking.
7. Cool completely and pour into an ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s directions.