Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (Custard Style)

Smooth, rich, and fabulously creamy, this old-fashioned custard-style Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream recipe is simply the best ice cream ever!

This my mother's recipe, passed down through at least four generations of my family. It is the homemade ice cream I grew up on, and the one my children and grandchildren will remember. There is none better.

Jump to:

• Custard-Style Vanilla Ice Cream Ingredients
• How to Make this Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top Tip
• FAQ
• More Ice Cream Recipes
• Pairing & Serving
• Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

To make ice cream for a crowd (and memories to go with it), churn this easy ice cream recipe in a large, old-school, bucket-style ice cream freezer. For a smaller batch, simply cut the recipe by half and make it in a modern table-top ice cream machine.

Custard-Style Vanilla Ice Cream Ingredients

• Dairy: Making homemade ice cream is not the time to go lowfat! For the creamiest ice cream, use heavy cream (or half-and-half) and whole milk. The lower the fat content of your liquids, the more chance your ice cream will turn out too "icy."
• Sugar: Use plain granulated white sugar. We don't recommend using sugar substitutes.
• Vanilla: Use a good, high-quality vanilla extract. The alcohol in the extract will also help to keep the water in the ice cream mixture from crystalizing.
• Eggs: We use USDA large egg (EU medium).
• Salt: Use table salt or fine sea salt.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make this Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

These directions outline how to make this ice cream in a large bucket-style crank or electric ice cream maker. If you plan to use a smaller, more modern ice cream maker, simply cut all the ingredients in this recipe by half (i.e., 2 eggs, 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of milk, etc.), and follow the directions for freezing that come with your machine.

Whisk together all ingredients except cream until frothy. (You can also do this step in a blender.)

Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan, and heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Bring the temperature up slowly, just until tiny bubbles begin to form around the edges of the saucepan. (The mixture should register 180°-185°F [82°-85°C] on an instant-read thermometer.) Remove from heat.

Once the custard is prepared, pour the mixture into a chilled ice cream freezer canister. Stir in the heavy cream and allow the mixture to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Once the mixture has chilled, position the dasher in the canister.

Cover the canister with the lid, and place it into the ice cream maker's bucket.

Attach the churn mechanism, and then layer on cubed ice and rock salt until it reaches about ¾ of the way up the side of the canister.

The amount of ice and salt you use will depend on the size of your freezer and the ambient temperature, among other things. We usually layer about 4-5 inches of ice and then a large handful rock salt, and repeat until the freezer bucket is nearly full.

After the ice and salt are added, churn the ice cream.

• Electric Churn: Simply plug the ice cream maker in and let it do its job.
• Hand-crank: Let your smallest, youngest helpers start the cranking first, and work up to the older ones as the ice cream begins to get harder to crank.

You may need to add more ice as you proceed. Keep the ice level just below the top of the canister.

Electric ice cream machines will usually have an auto-stop; however, you can also "hear" the ice cream set as the machine works harder to churn it. If you are churning manually, check when the mixing becomes very difficult.

To check the ice cream, brush all the ice and salt off the lid and carefully remove it. The mixture inside should have the same consistency as thick soft-serve ice cream. If it is too soft, replace the lid and crank it a little longer.

When the ice cream is done, remove the dasher. (We always let the kids share the "Christmas tree".)

It usually takes about half an hour to churn a batch of homemade ice cream. Once the ice cream is done churning, it's ready to eat.

For scoop-able ice cream, place the mixture in the freezer and allow it to cure for about 4 hours.

Substitutions

Heavy Cream: You can successfully sub in half-and-half for the heavy cream.

Vanilla: Sub in two vanilla beans for the vanilla extract. To do this, slice vanilla beans down the middle, and scrape out the tiny "vanilla sand" inside.

Add the vanilla sand and the sliced bean pods directly to the ice cream mixture before heating it. Remove the vanilla bean pods before churning.

Variations

Dairy-free Vanilla Ice Cream: For dairy-free vanilla ice cream, try making our coconut milk-based, dairy-free vanilla ice cream! It's ridiculously creamy, and as smooth as cool velvet.

This ice cream recipe makes a perfect base for infinite ice cream flavors.

Equipment

Our old-fashioned crank ice cream maker, a survivor from my childhood, is perfect in the summertime when ice cream-making is a family event and we need large quantities. It is also excellent for making memories.

There are times, however, when you don't need a gallon of ice cream, and you don't want to spend half an hour or more on the back porch cranking the machine. Our newer, electric ice cream maker is a perfect solution for such times. It makes up to two quarts of ice cream, gelato, and other frozen fare, making it the perfect size for couples or small families. 

If you plan to use a smaller, "modern" ice cream maker, simply cut all the ingredients in this recipe by half (i.e., 2 eggs, 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of milk, etc.), and follow the directions for ice cream that come with your machine.

Storage

Store homemade ice cream in an airtight container for up to three weeks. To help prevent ice crystals, press a sheet of plastic wrap, parchment, or waxed paper directly on the surface before putting the lid on.

Time is not a friend to homemade ice cream. After a couple of weeks, ice crystals may form, and the texture can become grainy.

Top Tip

FAQ

More Ice Cream Recipes

Pairing & Serving

Homemade vanilla ice cream is scrumptious on a slice of warm pie or fruit cobbler, and it makes heavenly ice cream sandwiches, too!

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