Simple Homemade Vanila Ice Cream | Ice Cream Recipes

Yield: 1 quart

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 – 3/4 cups of sugar (feel free to use whatever organic sugar you prefer)
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 vanilla bean (optional- see note below)

Ingredients:

Combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla beans (if using) in a blender.
Thoroughly blend until the vanilla bean is chopped into teeny tiny pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until everything is combined.
Place it in your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Serve immediately for soft-serve style, or place it in the freezer and allow it to harden for a while for a firmer result.

Kitchen Notes:

• Feel free to experiment with other sweetener options–I’ve added maple syrup and honey to mine in the past. They change the flavor a bit, but it’s still yummy.

• The vanilla beans are optional- however they do add a nice bit of extra flavor, as well as the classic “bean specks.” Since I make my own vanilla extract, I simply grab a few of the “spent” beans from one of my jars. They still have plenty of flavor, and I don’t have to use up my fresh beans.

• Since this recipe is completely uncooked, this is a good time to use your raw milk and cream, if you have them. If not, then try to choose the best quality milk you have available.

• I’m not currently milking our goats, so I haven’t tried this particular recipe with goat’s milk. However, in the past I’ve been able to use goat’s milk to substitute for 100% of the milk and cream in other recipes. So in this recipe, try using 4 cups of goat’s milk instead of the 2 cups of cream and 2 cups of milk.

• If I’m preparing a large meal, I like to make the ice cream base ahead of time (up to 24 hours) so it’s one less thing I have to worry about.

• This recipe only makes a quart. I always, always end up multiplying ice cream recipes. We had a whole bunch of people over for the 4th of July, and I made TWO quadruple batches. It was a hit!

• With other ice cream recipes I’ve made, you have to let it sit out at room temp for 15-30 minutes before it’s scoop-able. I particularly like this recipe because I had no problem scooping it straight from the freezer- even after it had frozen solid.