Making French-Style Vanilla Ice Cream
Ice cream has a universal appeal and is found in numerous cuisines. So many cultures have a long history of making ice cream that its origin is unclear. The popularity of ice cream exploded in Philadelphia in 1846 when a dairymaid named Nancy Johnson invented a portable hand-cranked freezer. This invention introduced the process of churning. Churning incorporates air during the freezing process and helps create a smoother texture. This improvement also made ice cream one of America’s favorite desserts.
Types of Ice Cream
French-stye ice cream starts with a base of crème anglaise; a custard-based ice cream made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and flavoring. Because of the egg content in crème anglaise, French-style ice cream must be cooked prior to freezing.
The butterfat found in milk and cream is the chief contributor to the texture, firmness, and richness of ice cream. Butterfat percentages usually range between 14%-16%. However, the total butterfat should not exceed 22%-25%. Excess butterfat will freeze separately, resulting in a grainy texture throughout the ice cream. On the other hand, milk solids should total at least 20% because too much can cause the lactose in the milk to crystallize.
Other styles of ice cream can also be noted for their popularity. Gelato is similar to the French-style ice cream except that it contains a higher percentage of egg yolks and originates from Italy. Philadelphia-style ice cream, also known as American-style ice cream only contains milk, cream, sugar and flavorings. Similarly, frozen yogurt was developed as a low-fat alternative to ice cream. The yogurt replaces all the ingredients and stabilizers such as gelatin may be added to improve smoothness and body.
Ice Cream Flavoring
The quality of each ingredient, including the specific “flavoring” ingredients, contributes to the overall flavor of ice cream. Ice cream requires more flavoring than most non-frozen products because its cold temperature decreases the sensitivity of taste buds. Ingredients in the base mixture such as fruit purées, chocolate, liqueurs, jams, nuts, and nut pastes can be used. Natural flavor extracts and compounds are also options.
Flavor infusions can be made of ingredients such as ground coffee, spices, or tea leaves. The flavor is infused in the milk and sugar mixture, then strained before proceeding.
Also, keep in mind that alcohol is a freezing inhibitor. When using liqueurs to flavor ice cream, the freezing ability is inhibited by both the sugar and alcohol content.
Print RecipeFrench Vanilla Ice Cream
French-style ice cream is a custard-based ice cream made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and flavoring.
Ingredients
- 1 lb milk whole
- 1 lb cream heavy
- 1 ea vanilla bean
- 9 oz sugar granulated
- 8 oz egg yolks
Instructions
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Gather all the ingredients and equipment. Scale ingredients.
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Place the milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean, and granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil.
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Place the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk. Temper the egg yolk and boiling milk mixture.
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Place the mixture into a bowl over simmering water and heat to 175°F (79°C), or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Strain.
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Cool quickly in an ice bath. (Add any additional flavoring of choice once the ice cream is cool. Refer to the ingredient notes for measurements).
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Freeze in an ice cream machine.
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Dispense into containers and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours or until needed.
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Store at 0°F (-18°C).
Recipe Notes
Ice Cream Flavorings/ Variations
Chocolate:
- 3 oz chocolate, dark, semisweet melted
Rum and Raisin:
- 1-2 oz rum
- 3 oz raisins macerated in rum
Strawberry:
- 3 lbs strawberries cleaned and chopped
- 1 oz strawberry compound
Mocha/Coffee:
- 1 oz instant coffee, or
- 2 oz coffee paste
Banana:
- 1 lb banana puree
- ½ oz lemon juice