Vanilla Ice Cream
Vanilla Ice Cream
From Alton Brown
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons peach preserves (not jelly)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- Combine all ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan*.
- Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Remove the hull of the vanilla bean, pour mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture.
- Freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit's instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine.
- Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving.
Makes 1 quart.
*Note: If you do not have a thermometer, bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. As soon as you see a bubble hit the surface, remove it from the heat. Do not let it boil.