Classic Vanilla Frozen Custard

6 minutes read

Chocolate, take a back seat for today because it is time to let the light shine on vanilla! Yes, I’d eat chocolate anything by the bucketfuls if I could but if vanilla is done correctly then I’ll choose it. This Classic Vanilla Frozen Custard is that recipe where vanilla is made well. It is rich from the egg yolks, has a deep vanilla flavor, and pairs wonderfully with a homemade hot fudge sauce. Come along, my vanilla-loving-people, and let’s make a long-loved treat!

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For the Love of Vanilla

I hate the saying “it tastes vanilla” to describe something that lacks flavor in general. I hate this because I agree that vanilla has been misrepresented across the board. Typically, if you have vanilla ice cream, it just tastes like slightly sweetened frozen milk. Just because something is white, it shouldn’t be called vanilla! Be vanilla flavored not cold milk flavored! Do you know what I mean?

Vanilla should entice your taste buds with a rich, decadent flavor unique in its own way. It has a comforting warming essence to it even in a cold dessert like ice cream and frozen custard. It pairs well with toppings of any choice but can stand alone also. This is the vanilla I stand for. My Classic Vanilla Frozen Custard represents that vanilla. My husband is not a vanilla person but loves this frozen custard. And my 3-year-old daughter also loves this “banilla” frozen custard (with sprinkles, of course).

Frozen Custard vs Ice Cream

The big difference between ice cream and frozen custard is egg yolk. Technically, to be a frozen custard it must contain 1.4% egg yolk. Math aside, I add anywhere from 4-6 egg yolks to my custard depending on how many I have. In my opinion, any egg yolk is better than none. It will make a difference no matter what. The added egg yolk in frozen custard makes the consistency much creamier and richer than regular ice cream. It is like a good ice cream but elevated to a more decadent level and I really think you need to try it if you never have. I love vanilla frozen custard specifically because of the beautiful pale yellow color that the egg yolks give to the cream. Definitely try and use a good farm fresh egg because they have a deeper orange color!

Some people are immediately turned off by the idea of eggs in their ice cream because they think it’s unsafe. However, in this recipe, I cook the egg yolks before freezing the custard. Some will say this is unnecessary, but it is the best practice and isn’t much of a hassle to prepare.

A Timeless Dessert

Making ice cream is so nostalgic, right? You envision kids taking turns turning the crank on an old-fashioned ice cream maker on a hot summer day just waiting to share with each other a few scoops of delicious homemade ice cream on a front porch! I think it would be really cool to keep that tradition alive and make it possible for kids to be involved in that process still and see how it used to be made!

Today, we can simply pour a mixture into an electric cream maker and walk away for 20 minutes, and return to find ice cream. That is what I use with my ice cream and frozen custards. If you don’t have one, you can just freeze the mixture in an air-tight container but it won’t have the same texture as using an ice cream maker. By churning the frozen custard or ice cream, you are adding more air, thus decreasing the size of the ice crystals in the frozen custard. This produces a much-desired creamy consistency.

Everyone loves ice cream! I think frozen custard is more nostalgic and you can’t find good, freshly made frozen custard everywhere. So try making this one with the family. Make a toppings bar or cookies, sauces, candies, or whatever and everyone can add whatever they want!

How to Make Classic Vanilla Frozen Custard

Sure, frozen custard takes a little more effort to create than regular old ice cream, but I think it is well worth it! The extra effort comes into play with needing to temper the egg yolks before combining them with the dairy/sugar mixture to avoid scrambling the yolks. Nobody likes scrambled egg ice cream. But it is easier than you think.

Step One: Prep the Egg Yolks

First, crack and separate our egg yolks from the whites. I like to do this in my hands, but some people like to shift the egg yolk back and forth between the shell halves until all of the egg white has fallen into a bowl below. If you have never separated eggs before and this sounds like total nonsense to you, just youtube it and watch someone do it. Give those yolks a good whisk in a bowl to break them up and set them aside.

Step Two: Prepare the Dairy Base

Next, add your milk, heavy whipping cream, and sugar into a saucepan. You want a ratio of milk to heavy whipping cream for the perfect consistency in your custard. Turn the heat on to medium-low and bring this mix up near a simmer and set it aside for a minute. You can even bring it up to a simmer and then turn it off and set it aside, but I find that just bringing it up to a decent heat is enough. We are just looking to melt the sugar into the dairy mix.

Step Three: Temper the Egg Yolks

Now tempering the eggs. Don’t be scared! Grab a measuring cup and fill it with the hot dairy/sugar blend. Slowly…SLOWLY! and continuously drizzle the mix into the egg yolks in the bowl below while whisking constantly as well. Take your time adding the hot dairy to the yolks to avoid curdling them. However, if you see a few curdled eggs in there, it is ok. It is not ruined! Just go slower next time.

Step Four: Finishing the Classic Vanilla Frozen Custard

Now combine the egg yolk mixture in the saucepan with the rest of the dairy/sugar mixture and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mix and cook until it starts to slightly thicken. After this, just set the custard aside to cool, and then cover it and put it into the fridge to cool completely or overnight.

Step Five: Freeze and Enjoy!

Lastly, we will churn the custard! Just pour it into your mixer by passing the mixture through a fine mesh sieve first to remove any possible eggs that may have curdled. Then let it go! Mine took about 20 minutes to reach the desired consistency, but follow your ice cream maker’s instructions. Then scoop it into an air-tight container and let it rest in the freezer to set up. Finally, it is ready to enjoy!

A Word on Vanilla Flavoring

Obviously, using vanilla bean pods or vanilla paste would be ideal for the best flavor in this custard. If you can get your hands on one of these that’s wonderful! For this recipe though I am just using vanilla extract. I always have it on hand and you can still make a truly delicious custard with vanilla extract. I will advise using a good-quality vanilla extract! Please don’t ever buy “imitation” vanilla extract. It is like choosing to color a piece of cardboard to look like pizza and then expecting it to taste like pizza. Just buy good real vanilla extract.

Enjoy Your Classic Vanilla Frozen Custard!

I bet that you will get hooked on making your own frozen custards and ice creams after making this Classic Vanilla Frozen Custard! The difference in taste between homemade and store-bought is extreme with homemade being a landslide winner! Plus, you know all the ingredients in your homemade dessert. Have you ever looked at the ingredients on your store-bought ice cream container? Yeah, some weird stuff in there.

Get the kids together to share in making this custard and have fun with it! I know you will love just like my family does!