My dear husband bought me an ice-cream maker for my birthday in November and since then, we’ve been making our own ice-cream rather than buying them. Our old ice-cream maker required us to pre-freeze the bowl for 24 hours before using it, and the products that it yielded weren’t quite smooth and satisfying. This new one came with a chiller and I no longer have to pre-freeze the bowl. Definitely a welcomed improvement. Moreover, it yields smooth and creamy ice-creams!
The recipe below for vanilla bean ice-cream is adapted from “The Perfect Scoop”, one of my favourite ice-cream recipe books. The rich flavour of this ice-cream goes well with many other desserts. I served this with my maple pecan tart. The guests all asked for more! Though the flavour is creamy and rich, this ice-cream is made using the Philadelphia method, which does not involve the making of a custard. It is quicker and easier on your hips.
For this recipe, I substituted vanilla beans with vanilla bean paste. I love Nielsen Massey’s vanilla bean paste as it is extremely fragrant and convenient. One tablespoon of it packs the same punch as a vanilla bean. Also, remember to use pure vanilla extract and not vanilla essence. They are miles different in terms of their taste and flavour.
Vanilla Bean Ice-cream
Makes 1 litre
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup low fat milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp Nielsen Massey vanilla bean paste
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
- Pour 1 cup of cream into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and salt and vanilla bean paste.
- Warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining 1 cup of cream and 1 cup of milk and vanilla extract.
- Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze the mixture in your ice-cream maker.
