Your cart

Product Title
Option 1 / Option 2 / Option 3
Product Note
Subscription Plan Info
Product Discount (-$0)
COUPON1 (-$0)
$0
$0
-
+
Your cart is currently empty.
Enter discount code
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Coupon1
Coupon2
Cart note
Subtotal
$0
COUPON2
-$0
Order Discount
-$0
Cart Total
$0

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

By
Test Kitchen
Summer 2020
This silky Vanilla Ice Cream Base is the ultimate foundation for homemade frozen treats. Made with real cream, milk, sugar, and egg yolks, it churns into a smooth, luscious custard ready to enjoy as-is or infused with your favorite mix-ins—from raspberry swirls and pistachios to birthday cake crumbles and tropical fruits.

Recipe Information

Total Time:
Yield:
1½ pints ice cream

Ingredients

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

1½ cups whole milk

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup of seedless raspberry jam

Birthday Cake Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

premade yellow cake

rainbow sprinkles

Cherry Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1 (3-ounce) package cherry-flavored gelatin

2 tablespoons lemon juice

red food coloring, if desired

1 cup halved frozen cherries

Pistachio Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1 (3-ounce) package instant pistachio-flavored pudding mix

green food coloring, if desired

1 cup chopped pistachios

Lemon-Blueberry Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1 cup blueberries

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup + 2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons lemon zest

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Mango Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

2 cups fresh or frozen mango

yellow food coloring, if desired

Pineapple-Coconut Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 cup of rough-chopped pineapple

Double-Strawberry Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1 (3-ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

red food coloring, if desired

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen strawberries

Cookies 'n' Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1¼ cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies

Orange Cream Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1 (3-ounce) package orange-flavored gelatin

2 tablespoons lemon juice

red food coloring, if desired

Directions

Vanilla Ice Cream Base
  1. In a small saucepan bring whipping cream, milk, sugar and salt to a simmer over medium heat. Gently simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved.
  2. Slowly whisk about 1 cup of hot cream mixture into beaten egg yolks to temper. Then gently whisk egg mixture into cream mixture in saucepan; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 170°F, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove saucepan from heat. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Stir in vanilla extract.
  3. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover bowl or transfer mixture to a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, or chill in freezer for 1 hour.
  4. Freeze chilled mixture in a 1½- to 2-quart ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. When mixture thickens and pulls away from side of the freezer bowl, turn off ice cream maker. If desired, transfer ice cream to an airtight, freezer-safe container; freeze to desired consistency.

Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream
  1. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed through step 2. Stir in fresh lemon juice. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker. Transfer half of the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Spoon ½ cup of seedless raspberry jam on top of ice cream and use a knife to drag through ice cream, creating a marbled look. Spoon remaining ice cream on top; add another ½ cup of seedless raspberry jam and drag knife through again. Cover and freeze to desired consistency.

Birthday Cake Ice Cream
  1. Using a premade yellow cake, cut cake into ½-inch cubes to make 1 cup. Let cake cubes stand, uncovered, for 4 to 6 hours or until slightly dry. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed, except add ⅔ cup rainbow sprinkles during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer half of the ice cream to a freezer-safe container; scatter cake cubes on top. Spoon remaining ice cream on top; sprinkle with an additional 2 to 3 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles. Cover and freeze to desired consistency.

Cherry Ice Cream
  1. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed through step 2. Stir in cherry-flavored gelatin, lemon juice and, if desired 8 to 10 drops red food coloring. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker, adding halved frozen cherries during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer ice cream to freezer-safe container and freeze to desired consistency.

Pistachio Ice Cream
  1. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed through step 2. Stir in instant pistachio-flavored pudding mix and, if desired, 3 drops green food coloring. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker, adding chopped pistachios during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer ice cream to freezer-safe container and freeze to desired consistency.

Lemon-Blueberry Ice Cream
  1. In a small saucepan combine blueberries, granulated sugar, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Heat over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil and blueberries start to break down, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablepoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch; stir into blueberry mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes or until mixture has thickened. Transfer blueberry mixture to a small bowl; cover and chill. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base recipe as directed through step 2. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker. Transfer half of the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Spoon half of the blueberry mixture on top of ice cream and use a knife to drag through ice cream, creating a marbled look. Spoon remaining ice cream on top; add remaining blueberry mixture and drag knife through again. Cover and freeze to desired consistency .

Mango Ice Cream
  1. Puree fresh or frozen mango in a food processer; set aside. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed through step 2. Stir in pureed mango and, if desired, 5 drops yellow food coloring. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze to desired consistency.

Pineapple-Coconut Ice Cream
  1. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed except substitute coconut extract for the vanilla extract in step 2. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker, adding rough-chopped pineapple during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer ice cream to freezer-safe container and freeze to desired consistency.

Double-Strawberry Ice Cream
  1. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed through step 2. Stir in strawberry-flavored gelatin, fresh lemon juice and, if desired, 6 drops red food coloring. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker, adding chopped fresh or frozen strawberries during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer ice cream to freezer-safe container and freeze to desired consistency.

Cookies 'n' Cream
  1. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed, except add 1 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer ice cream mixture into freezer-safe container; sprinkle an additional ¼ cup crushed cookies on top. Cover and freeze to desired consistency.

Orange Cream Ice Cream
  1. Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Base as directed through step 2. Stir in orange-flavored gelatin, lemon juice and, if desired, 6 to 8 drops red food coloring. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator or freezer as directed. Freeze chilled mixture in an ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze to desired consistency.

More Recipes

Read more

Related Categories