French Vanilla Ice Cream and a Dirty Secret

I love ice cream.  Nope, that isn’t the secret at all…that is coming up..but…I love ice cream.  Vanilla did not used to be a big hit with me.  It seemed to me that vanilla ice cream was an empty canvas, or a plate to hold the good stuff like hot fudge sauce.  When I started making homemade ice cream, though, I decided that vanilla…real vanilla …was a flavor to be reckoned with..and not one to ignore.

I found a french vanilla flavoring at the store the other day, and I was writing an article for a local magazine on..ice cream.  I had all ready done the vanilla, but wondered…with some adjustments? What would triple french vanilla taste like?

Triple French Vanilla.  Sensual, seductive, intense…almost chocolate in character…think of expensive ivory silk (peace silk, of course) and the way that it feels on a hot day when you slide on that luxurious silk robe after a fragrant bath.

And you can add things to it.  Jimmies, sauce, fruit, or…my personal favorite, (dirty-little-secret ) pretzels.

Marye's dirty-little-secret

This ice cream is my base for most other ice creams I make.  It is intensely rich and if you have trouble with fats you can switch the half and half for whole milk but don’t unless you absolutely have to.  This is so creamy, and silky, and amazing that you have to experience it once in awhile.  If you want to add chopped fruit or a fudge swirl do it just at the end of the freezing time.  It is important that you let it ripen in the freezer over night.  I know, but really the texture gets better and it doesn’t melt so quickly.  Trust me. Lick the dasher and stop whining.

Triple French Vanilla Ice Cream

• 3 cups half and half
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2  3-inch vanilla beans, split
• 1 1/2  teaspoons pure Vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon French Vanilla flavoring
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
• 1/8 tsp salt

1. Heat the sugar, salt, vanilla beans, bourbon, and half and half in a heavy saucepan until it is very hot and bubbles form around the edge.  Do not let it boil.  Remove from heat, cover, and allow to cool completely.  Longer is better.  Overnight will yield the most vanilla flavor.
2. Remove beans.  Scrape the seeds and pulp back into the cream mixture, discard the shell.
3. Beat the  heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Add vanilla extracts.
4. Fold into half and half mixture carefully.
5. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

Makes ½ gallon

images:maryeaudet

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