So, for my birthday this year, my roommate and very good friend, gave me what amounts to one of the most fabulous gifts I've ever received--an ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer. If you own a kitchenaid and ever wanted to make ice cream, this attachment is for you. I highly reccommend it. It comes with a mixing paddle and bowl and makes things very easy. Basically, it's a double-walled bowl and between the walls is some liquid that can be frozen over and over again. All you do is throw it in the freezer (a good 8 hours or overnight or just leave it in there till you need it) and when you're ready to churn, you pop it in your mixer just like the metal bowl, attach the ice cream beater thingy, set it to "stir" and let it run for about 20 minutes and then--ice cream. It's fabulous!

For it's first run I tried my hand at vanilla ice cream. I must admit it took two tries to get it right. I actually made the ice cream mixture correctly the first time, but I have this tendency to over analyze directions and came to the conclusion that "chill in the refrigerator" meant "freeze in the freezer." This was wrong. Your ice cream batter (for lack of a better word) should be cold, but not frozen, when it goes into the ice cream maker. Yes, it should still be liquid. Live and learn.

Vanilla Custard Ice Cream (Glace Vanille)
The Gourmet Cookbook, Vol II

• 2 2/3 cups heavy (whipping) cream
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk
• 1 piece split vanilla bean
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

• Bring to a boil 2 2/3 cups cream and 1 1/3 cups milk with a piece of split vanilla bean.
• Beat 8 egg yolks and 1 cup sugar with a wire whip until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Pour the hot milk mixture over the egg yolks, stiring briskly.
• Cook the custard over very low heat until it almost reaches the boiling point. Be careful that it doesn't boil or it will curdle.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and chill in the refridgerator.
• Once completely cold, you can freeze in your ice cream maker according to the directions.

For the most part, I found this very easy to make. A few things that would have been helpful to know going into it: use an electric mixer for the egg yolks and sugar. Beat them together for a while (3 minutes at least) on a high-ish speed. The egg yolks will go from the color they are normally to a pale light-yellow and will become fairly fluffy. It's okay if you can still see the grains of sugar when you're done.

Use the wire whip when you stir the hot milk into the egg yolks to incorporate it thoughly.

I let the batter sit in the fridge over night and I think that's the way to go. When I did my chocolate ice cream (coming soon) I didn't do that and it didn't get cold enough to turn into ice cream although I was able to save it...

Lastly, vanilla beans are damn expensive. I bought one at the local grocery store for $13.99. I'll be buying my beans online from now on--I've found them priced more reasonably at a little over a dollar a bean. You could substitute vanilla extract--say a teaspoon--to save some money or if you can't find vanilla beans. I used half a bean per batch.

I think this recipe turned out just delicious, and I know my roommate would agree. This one gets 5 of 5 stars for sure. It's completely decadent and rich and creamy and divinely vanilla-y and the ice cream itself has a light and fluffy consistency. No need to look farther for a better recipe...although that doesn't mean I won't.