Vanillavana

(Originally posted by Jimmy on VendrediFriday.)
In the past, I have only made egg-based ice creams, from Mariage Freres "Birthday" tea flavoured (smooth and yummy) to salted-butter caramel (overcooked the custard, too sandy). Salted Butter Caramel is my FAVORITE ice cream that they serve at Mariage Freres in Paris, but I screwed it up, i guess i just need to move to Paris.

Anyway, at KK's suggestion I decided to go the eggless gelato route and create a treat to give her flashbacks of her childhood in Sicily that she needs to have with me there coming of age on the beach.

It is day one, and I just made the base, which I will chill tonight then churn tomorrow, then eat the next day on Vendredi Friday-Monday with some fellow Bucksmellians and D.B.

Initial impressions - I am thinking that it might be too sweet. As a solution, I may add some fresh cream to the pot tomorrow. It is certainly vanillaee.

This recipe I used is adapted slightly from a pistachio gelato recipe KK gave me recently...

4 cups organic milk
1 cup sugar (maybe use less sugar unless you like it seet....)
3 tbsp. cornstarch
2 vanilla beans

Simmer 3 cups of milk in a saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat. Combine remaining 1 cup milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl, then stir into hot milk. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly, 8–10 minutes. Slice open vanilla beans as if you were dissecting a worm in biology, then scrape out the insides. Add vanilla carcass and guts into the milk while it is cooking.

Set aside to let cool completely, stirring often, then cover and refrigerate overnight (keep the beans in! for vanilla to the max). Dream about the ice cream, but wear underwear to protect sheets.

Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Discard vanilla after you savour their smell one last time. Throw in ice cream maker. Then freeze for a few hours, serve it up.

UPDATE

So...I added a pint of cream. The whole thing turned out very Breyers. Milky and fresh. KK brought her super-local (window sill) organic mint leaves and we sprinkled them on which made it super fresh. great summer ice-milk.