Simple Vanilla Ice Cream
Updated August 10, 2015
Evan Sung for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 ½ cups light cream, half-and-half or milk (whole or skim), or a combination
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Nutritional analysis per serving
140 grams carbs; 663 milligrams cholesterol; 2235 calories; 54 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 115 grams saturated fat; 185 grams fat; 354 milligrams sodium; 13 grams protein; 118 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put 2 cups cream, half-and-half or milk, the sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. If using a vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and scrape seeds into liquid, then add pod. Cook until mixture begins to steam.
- Step 2
In a bowl, blend cornstarch and remaining cream, half-and-half or milk; there should be no lumps. Remove bean pod from pot and discard. Add cornstarch mixture to pot. Cook, stirring, until it starts to thicken and barely reaches a boil, about 5 minutes. Immediately reduce heat to very low and stir for 5 minutes or so until thick. Stir in vanilla extract, if using.
- Step 3
If mixture has lumps, strain it into a bowl. Chill until cool, a couple of hours (you can skip this step if you have a machine with a built-in freezer). When cool or if there are no lumps, pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Private Notes
Comments
I love this recipe! For my little Cuisinart ice cream maker I used this recipe and 1/2 more. I am lactose intolerant so I used Organic Valley lactose-free half and half, and it turned out amazing. I found it at Sprouts. When it almost finished I added fresh strawberries that I had cut in small pieces and it gave it a great strawberry flavor. It took about 25 minutes. I definitely will use this recipe to make other great ice cream flavors. Thanks so much!!
This recipe would have been amazing if you left the corn starch out, I know you were going for the texture but it ruined the aftertaste.
Smoother texture than an egg-based recipe, but be advised that cornstarch adds a flavor that takes away from the vanilla (IMO). This would probably be better as a base for a stronger flavor like chocolate.
Easy to make, but texture was odd. Would not make again.
has anyone tried this with almond milk?
I’ve tried a lot of different recipes and this my go-to vanilla ice cream. It’s smooth and creamy, not too heavy (even with half and half), and is absurdly easy to prepare. Everyone has their own tastes and preferences, but I wonder if some of the folks who have such strong feelings about the corn starch are measuring accurately.