ICE CREAM: Home-make ice cream is easy, even without an ice-cream maker. I particularly like this recipe for vanilla ice cream which is really delicious.

BASIC VANILLA ICE CREAM:

 

 

 

1 cup vanilla sugar****                                              

2 cups milk

2 cups whipping cream                                               

6 egg yolks

 

****To make vanilla sugar:  Chop a 4-inch piece of vanilla bean into small pieces. Put it into blender with 1 cup sugar. Blend at high speed until vanilla is pulverized. Store vanilla sugar in an airtight container****.

 

 

 

Put vanilla sugar in a heavy saucepan.  Add milk and stir to mix well. Scald mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until very hot.       

 

In another large heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks until light-coloured and very thick.  Add hot milk mixture in a steady stream into the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Cook over moderate heat, stirring continuously, until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat immediately.

 

Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool completely, covered with a buttered round of wax paper to prevent a skin from forming. 

 

In a large chilled bowl, whip cream until stiff and fold into custard. If an ice cream freezer is available, freeze mixture by following manufacturer’s instructions. Alternately, pour mixture into a container and freeze until it is mushy. Using a hand-held electric beater, beat mixture, breaking up any ice formed, until smooth. Cover with foil and return it to freezer, freeze until it is solid.