Best Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

In a deep sauce pan, warm milk, sugar, salt and 1 cup heavy cream. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and add to the sauce pan. Add vanilla bean and cover. Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes. Remove vanilla bean after steeping.

In medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. Very slowly pour warm milk milk, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture back to the sauce pan and set heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook until the custard thickens and coats the spatula.

Pour remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl. Strain custard over the bowl and whisk to combine. Add vanilla extract.

Cool over an ice bath. Once it is cool to a room temperature, cover and chill overnight.

When ready to churn, freeze custard according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not over-churn, because you may end up with pieces of butter in your ice cream. Transfer to a container, cover and freeze until firm.

Makes about 1 quart.