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Dive into the world of nostalgia with this Old-Fashioned Vanilla Bean ice cream. It's all about the basics done right, with real vanilla beans that infuse the ice cream with an unmatched aroma and depth. It's rich, it's creamy, and it's everything you want when you hear 'vanilla ice cream'. Perfect on its own, or get adventurous and pair it with a warm pie for a delightful contrast.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of whole milk, and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into the cream mixture. Add the vanilla pod itself for extra flavor.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Do not let it come to a full boil.
While the cream heats, whisk together 5 egg yolks in a separate bowl.
Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper them and prevent curdling.
Return the tempered yolks to the pot with the remaining cream mixture, stirring continuously.
Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (about 5-8 minutes).
Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked egg bits.
Stir in a pinch of salt and the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Once thoroughly chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions.
Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm, usually about 2 hours.
