- Make sure all your surfaces and utensils are really clean as using real ingredients can have the potential for a bacterial field-day.
- Slice the organic vanilla pods into 2 long pieces and carefully scrape out the seeds onto a plate. Add a little of the sugar to the plate and work with the seeds until you have a grey, speckly mixture. Scrape this into a large bowl, then add the rest of the sugar. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the emptied vanilla pods. Bring this to nearly boiling point - make sure it does not actually boil.
- Add the egg yolks to the sugar in the bowl and whisk until it thickens slightly and lightens in colour. This process takes about 2 - 3 minutes. Pour in the scalded milk over the eggs and sugar and whisk energetically. Remove the vanilla pods.
- Wipe the milk-pan clean and return the ice-cream mixture to it. Place over a gentle heat and cook until it is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. This takes quite a long time, so be patient - it's worth it. You could use a rubber spatula to ensure that all parts of the pan are stirred. When you think the mixture is thick enough, dip a spoon in the mixture and then run your finger across the back. If a clear and stable path is left, then you are ready. If you want to use a thermometer, you should heat until it gets to 85oC. Add the cream to this custard and mix well. Pour through a fine sieve and allow to cool before freezing.
- Freezing can be done in an ice-cream machine. Alternatively, place in 2 litre stainless steel bowl and every 30 minutes remove from freezer and whisk thoroughly. When you have a half-defrosted ice-cream that looks like a thick slurry, in which the solids and water have frozen together, you can then stop stirring and leave it to freeze.
Variations:
To make chocolate ice-cream: add the best quality FAIRTRADE cocoa powder to the vanilla base as it is cooling.
To make stracciatella ice cream: freeze a block of high quality plain chocolate. With a sharp knife, chisel small scrapings and curls from the block. When you have a large pile, add this three-quarters through the freezing and whisking process
To make coffee ice cream: make a large expresso, then allow to cool and filter. Add this to the mixture just before freezing.
To make caramel ice cream: make the vanilla ice-cream but use 100g FAIRTRADE caster sugar and not 250g. Also do not add the double cream. Allow to cool but do not freeze. Place a further 250g FAIRTRADE caster sugar in a wide stainless steel pan and place over a medium flame. In a minute or two the sugar will melt and then colour. DO NOT STIR: instead swirl the pan gently so the sugar melts and colours evenly. The caramel must go dark brown and when it is ready a lighter brown foam will form on top. As soon as this stage is reached, remove the caramel from the heat and pour in the cream - it will splutter and the caramel and the caramel will set into lattice-like crystals. Now you can stir and do so over a medium flame until the mixture boils and the crystals disappear. Add this to the vanilla base and proceed with the freezing process.
Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
| 2 | organic vanilla pods |
| 250g | FAIRTRADE caster sugar |
| 500ml | milk |
| 6 | medium free range egg yolks |
| 500ml | double cream |
Method
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