Equipment
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 480 ml heavy cream, cold
- 240 ml half and half, cold
- 150 g white sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 2 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 317 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 132 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 78 mg
- Potassium
- 97 mg
- Calcium
- 72 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 7 mg
- Phosphorus
- 63 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 276 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 59 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the vanilla bean flat on a cutting board, carefully slice it open lengthwise with a paring knife, and scrape out the seeds.
Add the white sugar and the scraped vanilla seeds to a mixing bowl. Use your fingers to rub the seeds into the sugar until evenly distributed and highly fragrant.
Pour the half and half and kosher salt into the vanilla sugar. Whisk continuously until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
Stir in the heavy cream and drop the scraped, empty vanilla pod into the bowl to infuse.
Cover the mixing bowl tightly and chill the base in the refrigerator at 4°C (39°F) for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to steep and ensure the mixture is thoroughly cold.
Remove and discard the vanilla pod. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, usually about 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, smooth the top, and freeze at -18°C (0°F) for at least 4 hours to harden completely before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always ensure your ice cream maker bowl has been freezing for at least 24 hours prior to churning. A partially frozen bowl is the leading cause of poorly textured homemade ice cream.
- For a deeper, more pronounced vanilla profile, let the base steep in the refrigerator overnight. Time is the best tool for extracting flavor from a vanilla pod.
- Pre-chill your freezer-safe storage container before transferring the freshly churned ice cream into it. This prevents the edges from melting during the transfer process.
- Because this recipe contains no egg yolks to act as stabilizers, it is best consumed within the first two weeks of freezing to enjoy its optimal creamy texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — The liquid base can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before churning.
Freezer: 2 months — Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent ice crystals.
Troubleshooting
Ice cream has an icy, gritty texture instead of being creamy.
Cause: The ice cream maker bowl was not frozen completely, or the base was not chilled enough before churning, resulting in a slow freeze that created large ice crystals.
Fix: Melt the base entirely in the refrigerator, refreeze your equipment for 24 hours, and churn again.
Prevention: Ensure the freezer bowl is frozen solid for at least 24 hours prior to churning, and thoroughly chill the liquid base below 4 C (39 F).
Butter specks are floating in the ice cream during churning.
Cause: Over-churning caused the fat in the heavy cream to separate and begin forming butter.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once the fat has separated and churned.
Prevention: Stop churning as soon as the mixture reaches a soft-serve consistency.
Cultural Context
Philadelphia-style ice cream refers to traditional American ice cream crafted without a cooked egg custard base. Emerging in the United States, this style gained immense popularity for its pure, milky flavor that allows the dairy and the prominent vanilla notes to shine without the rich distraction of egg yolks. By skipping the custard stage, the final dessert boasts a snow-white appearance alongside a clean, refreshing, and noticeably lighter texture on the palate.
