Recipe : Classic Vanilla Ice-Cream

Nothing beats the creamy simplicity of true vanilla ice-cream. Vanilla pods are expensive, I paid about RM25.90 for 2 pods, but well worth buying for the superb flavour they impart.

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 Vanilla Pod
300ml / 1/2 pint / 1 1/4 cup Milk
*the original recipe states to use semi-skimmed (low-fat) milk but I just used regular full cream milk
4 Egg Yolks
75gm / 3oz / 6 tbsp Caster Sugar (superfine)
5ml / 1 tsp Cornflour
300ml / 1/2 pint / 1 1/4 cup Double (heavy) cream
*I used Anchor whipping cream

Method:
1. Using a small knife, slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy pan, add the vanilla pod and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.

2. Lift the vanilla pod and scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife and add them back into the pan of milk. Bring the milk back to a boil.

3. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy. You may either use a balloon whisk or an electric mixer (I used a balloon whisk and it took less than 5 minutes to whip it up). Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly.

4. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over gentle heat, stirring constantly.

5. When the custard is thick and smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Be careful not to overcook the custard as it burns easily in the pan.

6. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge.

7. Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a freezer container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating twice with a fork or in a food processor.

8. Alternatively if you have an ice-cream maker, you can skip step 7. Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture in an ice-cream mixer until thick. If the consistency is not as desired, freeze for a couple more hours.

9. Serve scooped into bowls or cones.