This custard-based French vanilla ice cream recipe is unbelievably smooth and creamy! An unbeatable vanilla ice cream recipe.
You can serve this vanilla ice cream as it is, but it is even better topped with hot fudge sauce, caramel sauce, or peanut butter sauce.
When I make homemade ice cream, I typically make fancy shmancy ice cream loaded with mix-ins. But sometimes you just want something simple.
This ice cream is simple, but it definitely isn’t boring. It is silky smooth, and so rich and creamy thanks to the egg yolks.
Vanilla is actually my daughter’s favorite flavor, so she was pretty thrilled about this ice cream. However, even the over the top ice cream flavor fans in my family loved it. It really is the perfect vanilla ice cream!
Making custard ice cream does take more time than making regular ice cream, but it’s worth it! It yields ice cream that is always creamy, never icy. The process isn’t hard, you just have to cook the eggs with milk and sugar to kill any potential salmonella.
For extra flavor in this ice cream, you let a vanilla bean steep in the hot custard mixture so it releases even more of that warm, rich vanilla flavor. After the mixture has cooled, you scrape out the seeds giving you those pretty vanilla flecks.
In addition to the vanilla bean, you also add some vanilla extract. Not only does it add flavor, it helps keep the ice cream from freezing into a brick. Since the alcohol in the extract doesn’t freeze, it makes for easier to scoop ice cream.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRENCH VANILLA AND VANILLA ICE CREAM?
It refers to the method in which the ice cream is made. French vanilla ice cream is made with eggs or egg yolks. It has a slightly yellow color, due to the egg yolks.
In addition, it is more rich and creamy than other types of ice cream. It can be made with vanilla beans or vanilla extract.
How to Make French Vanilla Ice Cream
- CUSTARD – You will start by cooking the egg yolks, sugar, salt, cream, and milk in a saucepan till thick and creamy. Add the vanilla bean to the hot mixture and let it cool to room temperature, then add the vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds.
- CHILL – Pour the ice cream base into an airtight container and chill for several hours, or overnight.
- CHURN – Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- RIPEN – You can serve it straight from the ice cream machine if you want soft serve ice cream. We like to let it ripen for a few hours in the freezer until it’s scoopable.
- SERVE – When it’s done, you can eat it as is, add some sprinkles, serve it on top of pie or cobbler, or drizzle it with your favorite ice cream topping. We tried some drizzled with my homemade hot fudge sauce, and it was simply divine!
PRO TIPS:
- Make sure you whisk the egg/sugar/milk mixture thoroughly before you cook it. You don’t want to see any flecks of yellow. Don’t worry, you can’t overmix it at this stage.
- You may be tempted to turn up the heat to speed up the cooking of the milk mixture. Resist the impulse. You want the mixture to cook slowly. If it gets too hot too fast, the egg yolks can curdle. Alternately, the mixture can scorch if the bottom of the pan is too hot.
WHAT DOES FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM TASTE LIKE?
French vanilla ice cream has a more rich flavor than regular vanilla ice cream. Some recipes call for enough egg yolks that the ice cream can even have a custard like flavor. Egg yolks also give the ice cream a creamier texture.
VARIATIONS FOR THIS ICE CREAM:
- For vanilla fans, this ice cream is perfect as is. But of course you can add any mix-ins that you like. Add crushed Oreos for the most amazing cookies and cream ice cream you’ve ever tried. You can also stir in any fruit, nuts, or candy that you love. Get creative!
- If you don’t have real vanilla beans, you can use vanilla bean paste, or add an additional tablespoon of vanilla extract.
RECIPES THAT SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM
- Double Crumb Apple Crisp
- Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Pumpkin Cobbler
- Blueberry Dump Cake
- Homemade Chocolate Cake
Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream
Rich and creamy custard based vanilla ice cream. Egg yolks make it extra smooth!
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 cup 2% milk (or whole milk)
- 2 cups heavy cream (or whipping cream)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the sugar, salt, and milk; whisk till smooth. Add the cream.
- Cook over medium-low or or medium heat till it barely comes to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add vanilla bean and vanilla extract.
- Let the mixture come to room temperature, then remove the vanilla bean. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any lumps.
- Split in half and scrape vanilla seeds from the vanilla pod into the ice cream mixture.
- Chill ice cream base for several hours or overnight, until very cold. I like to speed up the process by making an ice bath. Place the metal saucepan in a large bowl filled with ice cubes and water and stir till it is cold.
- Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Place ice cream in a freezer-safe container and let ripen in the freezer for 2-3 hours, or until stiff enough to scoop.
Notes
-If you are worried that your cooked mixture has lumps, you can pour it through a fine mesh strainer before adding the vanilla bean seeds.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 448Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 277mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 0gSugar: 30gProtein: 6g
If you are in search of the ultimate rich and creamy vanilla ice cream, this French vanilla bean ice cream recipe is the answer! I promise you will love it!
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I have some vanilla paste, can I use that instead of the vanilla bean?
Will heavy whipping cream work. There is a difference.
Yes, it will work. The difference is not significant in the final result. š
Made this recipe but doubled & ours came out like whip cream? What did we do wrong? Churn to long?
I’m not sure what you mean about it being like whipped cream. Did it not set up when you froze it? Or was it too airy?
How many ounces are in one serving?
Sorry, I’m not sure. I didn’t measure it, just divided it into six bowls, then we gobbled it right up.
My husband is a vanilla ice cream fan. I have made several different recipes for it and non met his high standard of vanilla perfection until I tried this one! I highly recommend you give it a try. Plus it is so easy.
Yay, so happy to hear that you finally found the perfect vanilla ice cream for him! It definitely the best one I’ve ever tried. This may be the only vanilla ice cream I’ve ever had that I thought was good enough just to eat plain! (Of course I’ll never complain about a drizzle of chocolate sauce though.) haha
Yum!! French vanilla is my favorite, but I didn’t realize how easy it’d be to make myself Thannk you!
We will be enjoying this all summer long!