Brown Sugar Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipes

BROWN SUGAR VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Split the vanilla bean down the middle with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. Set aside pods and seeds.
• Combine the milk and the cream in a large heavy bottomed saucepan and bring just to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the vanilla bean pods and the seeds, then cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
• Whisk together the sugar, brown sugar and egg yolks until well mixed, will be light a fluffy.
• Remove the cover from the saucepan and return the milk mixture just to a boil. Turn off the heat and slowly drizzle about 1/4 of the milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Adding the milk mixture in a very slow drizzle will temper the eggs, slowly bringing them to a warmer temperature without cooking them. You can increase the drizzle to a little faster flow, still continuously whisking until all the milk mixture has been combined with the egg yolk mixture.
• Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan and heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, be sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan as your stir. Continue cooking until mixture thickens into a custard and coats the back of the spoon. A good test is to run your finger down in a line across the back of the spoon. If the line fills in, it's not thickened enough yet. This can take anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes depending on the heat of your stove.
• When custard is ready, pour it through a sieve into a metal or glass bowl. Remove the pods from the strainer and set aside (to make vanilla sugar!*). Use a rubber spatula to ensure that you scrape out all the vanilla bean seeds from the saucepan. Stir in vanilla extract.
• Place bowl of custard into a larger bowl of ice water to help it cool, stirring the custard occasionally. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Once chilled, churn the chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Remove ice cream to a covered container and freeze until set.
• *For the reserved pods, allow them to dry, then push down into a bowl or jar of white sugar and cover. Makes a lovely vanilla sugar!

EXTREME VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Add granulated and brown sugars and whisk together until lightened in color and smooth.
• Pour the half and half, the heavy cream, and the vanilla beans into a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally while pressing onto the vanilla beans to extract the flavor and the seeds. Once the cream has been gently scalded, remove the pot from the heat.
• Use a ladle to transfer one spoonful at a time of the hot cream to the egg yolk mixture while whisking the entire time. Your goal is to slowly mix in the hot mixture to temper the eggs but not to cook them. Continue to slowly add the hot cream while whisking until all of it has been thoroughly combined.
• Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over medium low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. For me, this was more of a gut feel thing to know when it was ready, but you can definitely tell when the mixture has thickened. Do not let it get to the point where the eggs begin to cook. You should be able to touch the mixture with your finger without burning it.
• Pour the mixture into a bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least four hours. You can also place the bowl inside a larger bowl that has ice in it for more rapid cooling.
• Remove vanilla bean pods from the mixture, scraping out as many seeds as you can to stir back in. Pour ice cream base into an ice cream maker where the ice cream maker bowl has been frozen and process according to the manufacturer's directions. I was able to process the entire batch at once in my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Freeze for a couple of hours to allow the ice cream to harden. Then scoop and enjoy.

BROWN SUGAR ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the cream, milk, brown sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Pour into the ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and place it in the freezer until ready to serve.

VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Place the half-and-half and the heavy cream into a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about a third of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.
• Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

"SERIOUS" VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan. (see note below) Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove the hull of the vanilla bean, pour mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture.
• Freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to units instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine. Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving.

VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla pod and seeds in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat.
• Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Ladle half of the cream mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine; return to the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon in a figure-8 motion, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes.
• Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a blender; discard the vanilla pod. Puree until frothy, about 30 seconds; pour back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Transfer the chilled custard to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a resealable container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

BROWN SUGAR-BALSAMIC SWIRL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and 1/2 cup sugar in heavy large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring cream mixture to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Meanwhile, whisk yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 2 minutes.
• Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and thermometer inserted into custard registers 180°F, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Strain custard into large bowl set over another bowl of ice and water. Cool custard completely, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Cover and chill overnight.
• Boil balsamic vinegar in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes. Cool syrup in pan.
• Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. When ice cream is done, spoon in balsamic syrup and churn 3 to 4 seconds longer to swirl. Transfer ice cream to container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

BROWN SUGAR ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine milk and cream in medium saucepan.
• Bring just to simmer.
• Remove from heat.
• Place sugar in large saucepan.
• Stir over medium heat until sugar melts (some soft lumps will remain) and is deep brown, about 5-7 minutes.
• Stir the sugar continuously while it melts.
• Whisk in hot milk mixture.
• Stir over low heat until caramel bits melt, about 5 minutes (mixture may look curdled).
• Whisk yolks in large bowl to blend.
• Gradually whisk in brown sugar mixture.
• Return mixture to saucepan.
• Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5-7 minutes (do not boil).
• Cool.
• Mix in vanilla.
• Puree custard in batches in blender until very smooth.
• Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Transfer to container; cover and freeze until firm.

BROWN SUGAR ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks and sugar till thick.
• In another saucepan, bring cream and half and half just to a boil over medium heat. Gradually whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture in a thin stream.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 6 minutes). Do not boil!
• Strain into a bowl; add vanilla and let cool to room temperature
• Cover and refrigerate over-night.
• Pour into freezer and follow directions for your freezer.