Turn your kitchen into a parlor! Cold, creamy, and divinely delicious, it’s homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.
Isn’t it incredible how just four simple ingredients can combine to produce the most mesmerizing concoction known on earth: Vanilla Ice Cream. Its purity, its intensely vanilla taste, its smooth and creamy texture. Heaven in a bowl. Or a cup. Or a cone. Or on a slice of your favorite pie. There’s a reason why Vanilla Ice Cream is the No. 1 favorite ice cream in America. All vanilla ice cream lovers have their favorite brand, but once you make this Vanilla Ice Cream at home, you may never step foot in an ice cream parlor again.
Vanilla may be the most popular ice cream flavor, but it wasn’t the first invented. Some historians claim the very first ice cream was flavored with lemon (that sounds pretty good, actually) and an early frozen chocolate dessert (now the second-most popular ice cream flavor) appeared in the late 1600s in Italy. But in the early 18th century, the French began adding vanilla to ice cream (that’s why we have French vanilla!). Apparently, Thomas Jefferson went to France and had some. It must have been a transformative experience for him because while he didn’t invent Vanilla Ice Cream, he is credited with one of the very first known recipes for it recorded by an American, and that recipe resides today in the Library of Congress!
Only four ingredients. It bears repeating. Whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pure and wholesome. No additives, no preservatives. And even though you’ll finish making this ice cream in an ice cream maker, your technique and skill is required to combine the ingredients, warm them, dissolve the sugar, and chill the mixture: this is what makes it homemade.
And speaking of homemade, while Vanilla Ice Cream is perfection all by itself, that doesn’t mean you can’t pair it with something else. And is there anything more iconic than a big scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on top of a warm slice of delicious Apple Pie or crazy-rich Pecan Pie or Peanut Butter Pie. Pie a la mode—who doesn’t love it?
The Ice Cream Maker
The Ice Cream Maker has come a long way since American inventor Nancy Johnson patented the first hand-cranked model in 1843, called the “Artificial Freezer.” Back then, she filled a wooden pail with crushed ice and salt, and then she inserted a tin or pewter cylinder to hold the ice cream mixture to be churned. Today’s ice cream makers are modernized and way more efficient, though they still rely on Nancy Johnson’s original idea. There’s an inner freezer bowl inserted into the outer compartment; turn it on and the churning begins.
There are lots of ice cream makers out there now. Each one makes the process so easy, but there are still a few things to keep in mind. One key to making ice cream in these modern dream machines is to put the insert (freezer bowl) into the freezer for 6-24 hours before pouring in the ice cream mixture. Also, make sure you start the machine before putting the mixture in. And don’t overfill the machine: the ice cream mixture should be no higher than 1/2 inch from the top of the freezer bowl. Follow these tips and your Vanilla Ice Cream is going to come out perfectly.
FAQs & Tips
How do I store vanilla ice cream?
To store Vanilla Ice Cream in the freezer, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and press a sheet of plastic wrap against it (to prevent ice crystals) before sealing the container with its lid. The ice cream will last for up to 2 months.
Be a good student
Make sure you follow the instructions that come with your ice cream maker to a T; not doing so can result in ice cream that is either too soupy or too hard.
Can I use skim milk?
While you could use 2% milk, whole milk is the best choice, along with the heavy cream, to produce the richest, creamiest ice cream. 1% milk or skim milk are likely to yield disappointing results.
Serving Suggestions
A big bowl of homemade Vanilla Ice Cream all by itself—without adornments or add-ins or anything—is one of the great culinary pleasures of life. But that doesn’t mean you have to eat it all by itself all the time! We’ve already established the great joy of pie and ice cream, but move over, pie, because here comes another classic: cake and ice cream! I want to tell you that on my birthday, I make my favorite all-white dessert: Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream topped with White Hot Fudge Sauce (it’s very vanilla-forward!). But Vanilla Ice Cream is the perfect pairing with any kind of cake. Don’t believe me? Just try it with Chocolate Cake or Creamsicle Cake or Lemon Bundt Cake.
But let’s say you want that vanilla flavor paired with something else. No problem. You can add mix-ins to Vanilla Ice Cream during or after the churning process. Things like fresh fruit (add these Roasted Summer Berries for a frozen fruity delight), chocolate chips, or chopped nuts, or for a really special treat, bake some cookies (any kind–Chocolate Chip or Ginger Cookies or Almond Cafe Cookies) and crumble them into the Vanilla Ice Cream to transform it into a whole new dessert! And don’t forget the Chocolate Sauce!
Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine milk, cream, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stir gently until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is just hot, with a small ring of foam at the edge.
- Remove the saucepan from heat. Add vanilla extract to the mixture and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a container that can be sealed and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.
- Once chilled, pour the mixture into an ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the ice cream is softly frozen.
- Serve the ice cream immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 2 to 3 hours to allow the ice cream to firm up.
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