We have something shocking to tell you. Americans prefer the taste of vanilla ice cream over chocolate...gasp! The International Ice Cream Association puts vanilla at the top of the charts as the first choice of 29% of ice-cream eaters, followed by chocolate (8.9%), butter pecan (5.3%), and strawberry (5.3%).
Vanilla is anything but boring. It is a stunningly complex and subtle spice, containing somewhere between 250 and 500 different flavor and fragrance components. This gentle, distinct flavor is strongly aromatic with warm floral notes and is a beloved taste among expert chefs and little kids alike, with good reason...it is delicious!
The truth is, plain vanilla is anything but dull. Just take a look at the spice’s history! Vanilla is a member of the orchid family, and the first people to have cultivated it was the Totonacs of Mexico’s eastern coast. The Aztecs then acquired vanilla when they conquered the Totonacs in the 15th Century. The Spanish, in turn, got it when they conquered the Aztecs. In the early 17th Century, an apothecary employed by Queen Elizabeth I invented an all-vanilla-flavored sweetmeat. Surprise, surprise: the Queen adored them. By the next century, the French were using vanilla to flavor ice cream, a delicacy so beloved by Thomas Jefferson that he copied down a recipe while in Paris that is now preserved in the Library of Congress.
I scream, you scream...you know the drill. You’ll be screaming over this old-fashioned vanilla ice cream recipe from Add a Pinch! This creamy homemade vanilla ice cream recipe is made from five ingredients and is even better than an ice cream parlor. Add a scoop to your hot chocolate, serve up your pie a la mode, or simply enjoy on its own.
Ingredients
- Egg yolks
- Sugar
- Whole Milk
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Make the custard:
- Start by adding the egg yolks and sugar to a medium saucepan. Whisk until it’s a light yellow color and is well combined.
- In another small saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not stir the milk.
- Gradually add the heated milk to the pan with the egg and sugar mixture and stir constantly. Return the combined mixture to heat until it reaches 165º F, but do not allow it to come to a boil. As soon as it reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat.
- Pour custard base into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until it chills to 65º F. The longer the custard base chills, the creamier your ice cream will be.
Bust Out the Ice Cream Maker:
- Once the custard base is ready, stir in the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract).
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and process it according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.
Enjoy!