Home > Ice cream recipes > Vanilla ice cream

Vanilla ice cream

Name: Vanilla ice cream
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 8-10
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 568ml carton double cream; 568ml carton full-fat milk; 2 vanilla pods, split lengthways; 5 large free-range egg yolks; 225g golden caster sugar

Published: 31 May 08
Updated: 18 Mar 24

In keeping with tradition, a proper vanilla ice cream recipe should begin with a rich and smooth vanilla custard base, made with egg yolks and vanilla pods.

More of a chocolate fan? Check out our tremendous chocolate ice cream recipe.

Easy
June 2008

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8-10
Hands on time 1 hour, plus chilling and freezing

In keeping with tradition, a proper vanilla ice cream recipe should begin with a rich and smooth vanilla custard base, made with egg yolks and vanilla pods.

More of a chocolate fan? Check out our tremendous chocolate ice cream recipe.

Gluten-free recipes

Nutrition: For 10

Calories: 438kcals
Fat: 35.5g (21.2g saturated)
Protein: 4.2g
Carbohydrates: 27.1g (25.9g sugars)
Salt: 0.2g

Save recipe

Save

Save recipe Print

Rate

Ingredients

568ml carton double cream
568ml carton full-fat milk
2 vanilla pods, split lengthways
5 large free-range egg yolks
225g golden caster sugar

Cook Mode Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

Put the cream and milk in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the vanilla pods and heat gently until almost boiling, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Remove the vanilla pods, scrape out the seeds and mix into the cream.
Put the yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl and beat for 3 minutes, using an electric hand whisk, until thick and pale – the beaters should leave a ribbon trail in the mixture. Gradually beat in the cream mix, then pour into a clean pan.
Cook over a very low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, until thickened. The custard should coat the back of the spoon and reach 75°C on a thermometer. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Cool for 1 hour, then chill for at least 2 hours.

Churn the custard in an ice-cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until thick but still soft enough to be spoonable. If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, you can make the ice cream by hand.
Transfer to a plastic, lidded, 2-litre container and put in the freezer for at least 3 hours or until firm enough to scoop.