The vanilla guide
Vanilla bean ice cream
Our pints come once our own beans are cured. Until then, here is how to make the real thing at home.
To make vanilla bean ice cream, heat milk, cream, sugar and a split vanilla bean, whisk it into egg yolks, and cook the mixture gently to 77–80 °C (170–175 °F), until it coats a spoon. Chill the custard overnight, churn it in an ice cream maker, then freeze it for a few hours until firm. This egg-yolk method is what makes “French vanilla” ice cream.
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Vanilla bean ice cream recipe
Vanilla bean ice cream
You need
- 480 ml (2 cups) heavy cream
- 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 150 g (¾ cup) sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste)
- A pinch of salt
Nutrition (estimate): 330 calories, 25 g fat (15 g saturated), 22 g sugar and 4 g protein per ½ cup (about 120 ml). The recipe makes about 8 servings.
Method
Infuse the milk
Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds and the pod in a pan with the milk, 1 cup of the cream, the sugar and the salt.
Warm until steaming
Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture steams. Do not let it boil.
Temper the yolks
Whisk the yolks in a bowl. Slowly pour in about a cup of the hot milk while whisking, then pour everything back into the pan.
Cook to 77–80 °C
Cook over low heat, stirring all the time with a spatula, until the custard reaches 77–80 °C (170–175 °F) and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil or the eggs will scramble.
Strain into the cold cream
Pour the custard through a sieve into the remaining cold cream. Put the vanilla pod back in.
Chill overnight
Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, so the vanilla keeps infusing.
Churn
Remove the pod and churn the custard in an ice cream maker following its instructions.
Freeze until firm
Transfer to a container and freeze for about 3 hours, until firm enough to scoop.
Tips for better vanilla ice cream
- Chill the custard really cold before churning. Warm custard churns into icy ice cream.
- Leave the pod in overnight. Most of the flavour comes from the long, cold infusion.
- Take the ice cream out of the freezer 5–10 minutes before serving so it scoops cleanly.
- Eat it within two weeks. Homemade ice cream grows ice crystals faster than bought.
Our ice cream
Ice cream is the second thing we will make, in premium pints, as soon as our own beans are harvested and cured on the farm in Bangkok. The waitlist hears first.
Questions
What is the difference between vanilla and vanilla bean ice cream?
Vanilla bean ice cream uses a real bean or bean paste, so it has visible black seeds and a fuller flavour. Plain “vanilla” ice cream is often made with extract or vanilla flavouring.
Can I make vanilla ice cream without an ice cream maker?
Yes. Pour the chilled custard into a shallow container, freeze it, and stir it hard with a fork every 30–45 minutes for about 3 hours to break up the ice crystals.
Can I use vanilla extract instead of a bean?
Yes. Use 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract and stir it into the custard after cooking, when it has cooled a little.
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