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Serious Vanilla Ice Cream
ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 9 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 1 quart
When I first developed this vanilla ice cream recipe, more than a few folks thought the peach preserves were a crazy addition. But consider this: Jams and preserves contain pectins, which are gigantic molecules that have considerable gelling power. Including just a wee bit not only smooths out the ice cream's texture and elevates the subtler flavor of the vanilla, it can also actually delay melting a bit. And as you know by now, salt, in small amounts, can turn up the volume on almost any flavor. I include a pinch in most dessert applications.Both U.S. standard and metric measurements are listed, but for consistent results, go metric.This recipe first appeared in Season 1 of Good Eats.
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Software
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 1/2 ounces sugar
- 2 ounces peach preserves or jam, not jelly
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- Pinch kosher salt
Specialized Hardware
ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 9 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 1 quart
Procedure
- Combine the half-and-half and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the mixture until it reaches 175°F on a digital instant-read thermometer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Add the sugar, preserves, vanilla bean, and salt, and keep stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cover and steep 20 minutes.
- Fish out the vanilla pod and transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Assemble your ice cream churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you’re using an electric machine, turn it on, then pour in the ice cream mixture. This will prevent seizing.
- Churn the ice cream until it reaches soft-serve consistency and almost doubles in volume.
- Move to an airtight container and harden in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.
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