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Classic Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

celebrations, dessert, holidays, ice cream, sweet endings, sweet treats / by

Photography and Styling by Elisha Sewell

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is a summer classic. Simple and pure, this ice cream is the perfect pairing for cobblers, pies, floats, and sundaes. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. It is loaded with the perfume and robust flavor of vanilla beans and is perfect enjoyed all on its own.

Classic Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

  • 3 cups (705 grams) coconut cream
  • 2/3 cup (140 grams) cane sugar
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out 
  • 6 egg yolks

Directions:

  1. Add the coconut cream, sugar, sea salt, vanilla seeds, and vanilla bean to a 4-quart saucepan. 
  2. Stir over medium heat and bring it to a simmer, but do not boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. 
  3. While the cream mixture is simmering, put the egg yolks in a medium heat-proof bowl and whisk them together. 
  4. Stream in a ladle full of the coconut cream mixture. Whisk constantly while adding the cream to prevent the eggs from curdling.
  5. Whisking constantly, slowly stream in a second ladle full of the coconut cream mixture. Repeat one more time. 
  6. Pour the egg yolk and cream mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the cream mixture. 
  7. Stir the ice cream mixture over medium-low heat. Stir and cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 170F).
  8. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and cool. 
  9. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on the custard and chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours, ideally overnight. 
  10. Churn in an ice cream maker  to soft serve consistency (21F).
  11. Place the churned ice cream in a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 3 hours. 
  12. Serve and enjoy. 

Test Kitchen Notes

This ice cream is scoopable right out of the freezer!

You can make a sugar free version of this ice cream by using 1/2 cup of Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener as a sugar substitute. The method remains the same. The sugar-free version is best enjoyed right after churning when it is soft serve consistency. Once it is stored in the freezer it becomes solid and hard, but you can leave it at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to make it scoopable.