Ice cream

I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream. Who doesn't love a bowl of good ice cream? I know I sure do. This recipe is the best "base" recipe I have ever used.  From this recipe you can make all sorts of delicious varieties of ice cream.  From this base I have made vanilla, chocolate, peach, mint and mint chip. The combinations are endless.

Now we aren't here to make a "low-fat", but we are making the BEST tasting ice cream. And really when ice cream is such a treat, why would you want to ruin it and make it "low-fat"?

Gather your ingredients:
9 oz sugar (1 1/4 cups)
8 egg yolks
3 cups half & half
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
You will also need a thermometer(prefer a digital instant read), and an ice cream maker(prefer one with a removable core that freezes)

In a medium pot add the cream and half & half. Apply medium heat and let it come just to a simmer.

Add the egg yolks to a mixing bowl and whisk until light and creamy. I cheated and used my mixer, but hey that's why I bought it right? Right!
Next you will s-l-o-w-l-y add the sugar to the egg yolks while stirring.

The mixture will lighten in color and thicken, until it falls off the whisk in a long ribbon. 

As soon as your dairy mixture obtains bare bubbling, kill the heat and grab a ladle .

Temper the dairy into the eggs. To temper means to add a small amount of a hot liquid into relatively cooler eggs in order to warm them up without scrambling them.  Once you have slowly whisked in about 1/3 of the dairy you can add the rest of the dairy to the eggs.

Return the mixture to a medium pot and turn the heat back on LOW. Bring the entire mixture to 170F.
You can confirm that the mixture is done by dipping a spoon in the mixture, turning it over and "drawing a line" with your finger down the back if the line stays separated then it is perfect.

Kill the heat and transfer your mixture to a metal bowl to cool.  Once it has cooled a little you can add the flavor you want the ice cream to be. Just 2 tsp of your preferred extract will do. Or if you are aiming for chocolate take a ladle full (or two) and mix in 1/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder, then return to the bowl.

(Chocolate mixture with 2 tsp of vanilla extract.)  Once it has cooled you can place it in the fridge to help cool it faster. The temperature you are looking for is 40F, usually takes about 4 hours. I get impatient waiting, so I will either do this the night before and let it sit overnight or I will put it in the freezer and continually check the temperature.

Once your mixture has reached 40F you may add it to your ice cream maker. Follow the instructions in your manual. Mine takes 20 minutes. This is also the time I added in mint chips.

After 20 minutes, remove it from the ice cream maker and place in a seal-able freezer safe container. You may either eat it soft serve now or freeze it for a few hours.  This recipe will make 1.5 quarts of ice cream.