How to Make a Homemade Custard Base for Ice Cream
In this article I explain how you can make a simple vanilla custard base which you can use on it's own to create wonderfully creamy vanilla ice cream, or as a base to which you can add different flavours.
There are several ways to make ice cream, one of which is to make a custard base to which you add your flavours.
This is the method I use for the majority of my ice creams, it makes a very sweet, very creamy custard base and is really easy to make.
Many people shy away from making a custard base as they think it is quite complicated, involving as it does, heating and reheating in such a way as to prevent the mixture from curdling.
If you have never made a custard base you may need several attempts to get it right but the great thing is that once you know how to do it right, it is in fact a very simple process.
Below is my tried and tested method for making my custard base for ice cream.
Adding the vanilla pod is not absolutely necessary but personally I think the taste of vanilla adds to the ice cream.
If you do not want as creamy a base then you can always increase the milk and decrease the cream, ensuring that you always keep to 600ml of liquid.
Ingredients 375ml Cream 225ml Milk 50g Brown Sugar 4 Large Egg Yolks 1 Vanilla Pod Slice the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds in to the milk and cream mixture.
Add half the sugar and heat the liquid over a medium heat until it has almost reached boiling point.
You can tell that the liquid has almost reached boiling point as small bubbles will be forming around the edge.
Take off the heat and cool for 30 minutes to an hour.
This allows the the liquid to absorb the vanilla flavour.
Whilst the milk and cream is cooling blend the egg yolks and the remaining sugar together so that you have a creamy consistency.
Add a couple of tablespoons of the milk and cream mixture if necessary.
Reheat the milk and cream mixture until it is almost at boiling point again.
Take the saucepan off the heat and add the egg yolks and sugar, stirring these in to the mixture vigorously, after all this work you do not want creamy scrambled eggs.
Now place the custard over a very low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
This normally takes about 10 minutes.
Take off the heat and pour in to a bowl Once you have your thick custard mixture you need to cool it before placing in your ice cream maker.
This can be done by either putting the custard in the fridge for a few hours or alternatively placing it in a bath of cold water.
I normally take a load of ice cubes out of the freezer and put these in the sink, fill the sink with cold water and put the bowl of custard in there, covering it with clingfilm.
Once cold it is ready to be poured in to your ice cream maker.
This makes a delicious vanilla ice cream in it's own right, or you can add other flavours during the process.
There are several ways to make ice cream, one of which is to make a custard base to which you add your flavours.
This is the method I use for the majority of my ice creams, it makes a very sweet, very creamy custard base and is really easy to make.
Many people shy away from making a custard base as they think it is quite complicated, involving as it does, heating and reheating in such a way as to prevent the mixture from curdling.
If you have never made a custard base you may need several attempts to get it right but the great thing is that once you know how to do it right, it is in fact a very simple process.
Below is my tried and tested method for making my custard base for ice cream.
Adding the vanilla pod is not absolutely necessary but personally I think the taste of vanilla adds to the ice cream.
If you do not want as creamy a base then you can always increase the milk and decrease the cream, ensuring that you always keep to 600ml of liquid.
Ingredients 375ml Cream 225ml Milk 50g Brown Sugar 4 Large Egg Yolks 1 Vanilla Pod Slice the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds in to the milk and cream mixture.
Add half the sugar and heat the liquid over a medium heat until it has almost reached boiling point.
You can tell that the liquid has almost reached boiling point as small bubbles will be forming around the edge.
Take off the heat and cool for 30 minutes to an hour.
This allows the the liquid to absorb the vanilla flavour.
Whilst the milk and cream is cooling blend the egg yolks and the remaining sugar together so that you have a creamy consistency.
Add a couple of tablespoons of the milk and cream mixture if necessary.
Reheat the milk and cream mixture until it is almost at boiling point again.
Take the saucepan off the heat and add the egg yolks and sugar, stirring these in to the mixture vigorously, after all this work you do not want creamy scrambled eggs.
Now place the custard over a very low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
This normally takes about 10 minutes.
Take off the heat and pour in to a bowl Once you have your thick custard mixture you need to cool it before placing in your ice cream maker.
This can be done by either putting the custard in the fridge for a few hours or alternatively placing it in a bath of cold water.
I normally take a load of ice cubes out of the freezer and put these in the sink, fill the sink with cold water and put the bowl of custard in there, covering it with clingfilm.
Once cold it is ready to be poured in to your ice cream maker.
This makes a delicious vanilla ice cream in it's own right, or you can add other flavours during the process.
