French Vanilla Ice Cream
Is being made while the cake cools, my baby sister's birthday is the event. Frankly though, I was grateful for the diversion. Politics sometimes just works my nerves. I go into the kitchen for relief.
INGREDIENTS
8 egg yolks (these were left over from the angel cake, I love symmetry in the kitchen)
1 1/2 cups vanilla sugar (sugar that has been jarred with vanilla bean husks)
4 cups heavy cream
2 cups 1/2 & 1/2
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 vanilla beans halved and scraped (I used Tahitian Vanilla, if you can't get that and use the Madagascar beans, use 4)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Scald the 1/2&1/2, the cream, and the vanilla husks.
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While that's happening, beat the egg yolks until bright yellow.
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Add in the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat until well blended.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOYF6r7Eisfv3P-gydb0z3Hdz4sllXlsoWrwROyhO7L0MJ-TwgesQATHYmsByWcFdiVzCZNvgY_rZFWoLRAerLPhnC4USDMgSFxKwJWMU10ev8SWudf2FMMe9-rzvvRBYkPWp7YvMVug/s400/french+vanilla+ice+cream+004.jpg)
Take the scalded cream and strain into a measuring cup or small pitcher to catch any vanilla husks and nasty scalding skin.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnqdMLOdXdmqUQlJrZBIMi-yNoJfo7pi6g-dMEqPX3gI0IC-mIUV5UWVBuVj1zd02NHg62SkmlgWglOP8LbnWWLtBFp-hOutNo8nn2tb2sZpgUO97RmBiyJ9vUeypjgyKa4Kz-C2cvqU/s400/french+vanilla+ice+cream+007.jpg)
This is then tempered into the egg mixture, a little at a time, to avoid scrambling your egg yolks. After all, this is custard, not quiche.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtOfULbos6Y_TkGNJBYRdcrkmt0K0IdZnbG1XuVMyvdgz2SqIv-rtqVOz-c_K2zSFhfUeY6bggR-ERpwOUWCMfWgIPiiQ8-iyf0b1O3bbHy2BxZ4zu6Xd9H6caiEADSPtflGx5FRIDWQ/s400/french+vanilla+ice+cream+008.jpg)
Mix until very smooth and a lovely blonde color.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHoKHw7ahw1EpBtaePr_JcboIEeHXjUHgToQet_ng7Zdm5AyZ-DnTcA0oaPjXyqLwilzT_YJz69eF2BQ-bKGeex_vMMfDh8bRN1LuaHLEqYn9uVa0676jDMqIJIk1gZ7m5yoqwgDxEnk/s400/french+vanilla+ice+cream+009.jpg)
**NOTE: If you don't know the chickens your eggs came from personally, I recommend that you add in a step of taking the mixed custard back to the stove, cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to coat the back of a wooden spoon.**
Put into the container of your ice cream freezer, and add in enough of the cream to bring the level up to the "full" line.
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Freeze with lots of ice, and rock salt.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSqOZAnhEDl_8opQ0zs5OuJ10yxOOvWnyYinA1p8WLAphXdf8NO3cgIndV3hwe9ML_eS1-PXYJiFFKqPOnBeFGlccaU3CDS1TDo5RLYVHv0U2roDm8Ukj-LO4vzaqlRSqemJ8L6Q9I-M/s400/french+vanilla+ice+cream.jpg)
When the ice cream is frozen, you can serve some of it soft, but, I prefer to transfer it to a
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yPAWNnSU_stjGeD68pV5l8lsU2AM9L8qSm55huA9Rmj_l945kcy6K-pVIKEaE1wXwebOoHSQ34V1Sf-JCHosYS7IbcnEIWfxegJp2pBJIDBoGX4g2vLkmU57SySP3uoMnTFIXwXnerI/s400/french+vanilla+ice+cream+014.jpg)
larger, container. Freezing for two hours should produce a nice scooping ice cream, that has an incredible, smooth mouth feel.
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A dedicated food porn aficianado would have recognised that this ice cream base is essentially a Creme Brulée, that is frozen rather than baked. That realization might be the single best motivation I can think of to get cracking on a Caramel Sauce. . .
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