Store ice cream is one of the most additive-heavy foods in a grocery store: carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 80, artificial flavors. The homemade version uses cream, egg yolks, and a sweetener — the same three things that made ice cream worth eating before industrialization.
An ice cream maker produces the smoothest result, but the no-churn method (whipped cream folded into cold custard) gets you most of the way there with nothing but a loaf pan and a fork.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks and sweetener in a bowl until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Warm milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming (not boiling). Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (170–175°F). Do not boil.
- Remove from heat. Stir in cream, vanilla, and salt. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin. Refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Churn in an ice cream maker per the manufacturer's instructions (usually 20–25 minutes). Transfer to a container and freeze until firm, 2–4 hours.
Tips
Tip 1
No-churn method: whip the cream to soft peaks, fold into the cold custard, freeze in a loaf pan. Stir every 45 minutes for the first 3 hours to break up ice crystals.
Tip 2
Add mix-ins (berries, crushed dark chocolate, chopped nuts) in the last 2 minutes of churning.
Tip 3
A pinch of salt is not optional — it sharpens all the other flavors.
What you'll need
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