5-Ingredient No-Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
The sweet perfection of homemade vanilla bean ice cream is so easy with this fun recipe.

Yields approximately 1 quart.


Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup milk (nonfat is fine–that’s what I use)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (may substitute vanilla extract or the seeds scraped from half a vanilla bean)
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the sweetened condensed milk, milk, vanilla, and salt. Set aside or cover and refrigerate until ready to proceed.
  2. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a handheld electric mixer). Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. (This takes about 2 minutes in my stand mixer; it will take a bit more time with a handheld mixer.)
  3. Fold the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream. I find that a whisk will do this most effectively. You want to be careful not to totally deflate the whipped cream. That said, it will become soupier. This is okay. (To ensure I don’t over mix, I stop mixing when I still see a few pea-size pieces of whipped cream. You won’t notice them in the finished ice cream.)
  4. Spoon the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 6 hours. Once the ice cream has been in the freezer overnight, it’s best to let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature (or in the fridge for about 20 minutes) prior to scooping. Homemade ice cream tends to freeze harder than store-bought varieties due to the absence of stabilizers.

Notes

  • When whipping cream, maximum volume will be achieved if you start with a cold bowl and beaters. I place them in the refrigerator while I prepare the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Also, place a metal or freezer-safe glass dish (a loaf pan works well) in the freezer before assembling the ice cream ingredients.  The ice cream will freeze more effectively when transferred to an ice-cold container.
  • Vanilla bean paste is an excellent option in ice cream, offering concentrated vanilla flavor and the telltale vanilla bean flecks. (I called around and this can be found locally at Mis En Place Kitchen Store, located at 341 N. Queen Street in Lancaster, and Williams-Sonoma at Park City. It can also be purchased online. Nielsen-Massey is a recommended brand.) An equal amount of vanilla bean paste may be used whenever a recipe calls for vanilla extract.

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