Italian Ice Cream Recipe (Custard-Style Vanilla)

Cooking the milk and cream into a real egg-yolk custard, rather than just chilling raw dairy and sugar, is what separates Italian-style ice cream from typical American ice cream: the yolks add body and a silkier, denser texture with less air churned in, so it tastes richer per bite even with less cream overall.

Prep

20 min

Cook

15 min

Total

5 hr

Servings

8

Ingredients

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Instructions

1. 1Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Combine the seeds and the scraped pod with the milk and cream in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low until steaming and small bubbles form at the edges, but not boiling.
2. 2In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together vigorously until the mixture turns pale yellow and falls in a thick ribbon off the whisk, 2-3 minutes.
3. 3Remove the vanilla pod from the hot milk mixture. Slowly pour about a third of the hot milk into the egg yolks while whisking constantly, then whisk that mixture back into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan.
4. 4Cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula in a figure-eight motion, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and holds a clean line when you run a finger through it, about 5-8 minutes. It should read 170-175°F (77-79°C) on a thermometer; do not let it boil.
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5. 5Strain the custard immediately through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to catch any bits of cooked egg. Stir in the salt.
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6. 6Set the bowl over an ice bath and stir until cool, then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight, until completely cold.
7. 7Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, about 20-25 minutes, until it reaches a thick, soft-serve consistency.
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8. 8Transfer to an airtight container, press a layer of parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and freeze at least 4 hours until firm before scooping.

Tips & variations

• No vanilla bean on hand? Two teaspoons of good vanilla extract stirred in after straining works fine, just skip infusing the pod into the milk.
• For a hazelnut or pistachio version, steep 1/2 cup toasted, crushed nuts in the hot milk for 20 minutes before straining, then proceed as written.
• For a stracciatella-style finish, drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of melted dark chocolate into the machine during the last minute of churning so it hardens into thin shards.
• The lower cream-to-milk ratio here (compared to most American ice cream bases, which lean much heavier on cream) is intentional and is part of what gives Italian-style ice cream its lighter, less fatty mouthfeel despite the custard base.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap or parchment pressed directly against the surface to limit ice crystals, and keep at the back of the freezer (not the door) for up to 2 weeks. Let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping, since the lower fat content compared to American-style ice cream means it freezes harder.

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