Home-made vanilla icecream should be lemon in colour from the egg yolks, smooth from the cream used to make it and speckled with tiny black seeds throughout from the fragrant vanilla pods. Its rich texture should just melt in your mouth. Homemade ice cream is truly delicious served simply with fresh summer fruits and biscotti.

Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 3 cups cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split

Method

1. In a bowl blend the egg yolks with half the sugar, then whisk until very light and thick. Lift the whisk from the bowl and with the trail of mix falling from the whisk make the figure 8 into the mixture below. If the figure 8 can still be seen by the time you have finished making it, then you have whisked the egg yolks enough. If not, continue until you can.
2. Stir the remaining sugar into the cream. Scoop in the seed from the vanilla pod and then heat the cream, either in a saucepan or in the microwave until hot.
3. Slowly stir the hot cream into the egg yolks, being careful not too go too fast or you will scramble the eggs.
4. Place the mixture into the top of a double saucepan or a large heat-proof bowl and stir with a wooden spoon over a saucepan of simmering water until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
5. Remove from the heat. Pour into a cool, clean bowl to arrest the cooking. Cool, then refrigerate until cold.

To Freeze

1. Freeze in an icecream machine, following the manufacturer's instructions, or
2. Pour into a large, lidded freezer-proof container and freeze for 4 hours. Beat the mixture with a whisk or electric beater and return to the freezer. Repeat once more before final freezing.

Variations

Chocolate

1. Omit the vanilla pod. Add 250 grams chocolate, melted and cooled, to the custard once made.

Lemon

1. Omit the vanilla and add the grated rind 4-6 lemons when making the custard.

Orange Chocolate Chip

1. Add the grated rind 3 oranges to the custard when making, and when churning the icecream has almost finished add 1 cup chocolate chips.

Hazelnut Praline

1. Make the hazelnut praline in the Chocolate and Hazelnut Praline Mini Bombe Alaska recipe. Blend this in just at the end of churning the icecream

Cooks Tips

To use the vanilla pod, slice down the length of the pos and scoop the seeds into the milk for a richer flavour. After use, wash and dry the vanilla pod and store in an airtight container to use again.