Old Fashioned Frozen Vanilla Custard
Not too long ago, I found this recipe for a frozen treat. Now, whenever I make it, it reminds me of her. She loved to bake, and so do I.
Not too long ago, I found this recipe for a frozen treat. Now, whenever I make it, it reminds me of her. She loved to bake, and so do I.
- Carbohydrate 1.77626270942384 g
- Cholesterol 31.6500000093834 mg
- Fat 9.00038291958313 g
- Fiber 0.000552083333333333 g
- Protein 1.19604312575067 g
- Saturated Fat 5.60227291848197 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (58g)
- Sodium 4669.00818004482 mg
- Sugar 1.7757106260905 g
- Trans Fat 0.46459191681731 g
- Calories 92 calories
Step-by-step
- In a heavy saucepan, combine first three ingredients.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Cool.
- Pour into chilled ice cube trays without dividers or a shallow pan.
- Freeze to a mush (do not freeze hard).
- Whip cream; add vanilla and salt.
- Fold into partially frozen mixture.
- Return to trays or pan and freeze.
Whole eggs do the heavy lifting in this recipe, acting as both emulsifier and thickener to build a denser body than standard American-style ice cream can achieve on its own. When heating the dairy and sugar mixture with the beaten eggs, keeping the heat at a medium-low level prevents the proteins from curdling into scrambled solids while reaching the coating stage on a spoon. Fat droplets from the heavy cream and half-and-half physically block water molecules from forming large, gritty ice crystals during the freezing process.
Achieving the Proper Consistency Without an Ice Cream Maker
Traditional churns incorporate air continuously, but manual freezing requires a specific two-stage technique to mimic that mechanical action without specialized hardware. Freezing the initial cooked custard base only until it reaches a slushy, partially set consistency—typically taking around 35 to 45 minutes in a standard household freezer—creates the necessary matrix before folding in the whipped cream. If the mixture solidifies completely during this initial freeze, thawing it slightly before incorporating the whipped dairy prevents separation and keeps the mouthfeel smooth rather than icy.
- Monitor the initial freeze closely to catch the mush stage before crystals harden.
- Whip the separate cream to stiff peaks so it traps air efficiently during folding.
- Stir the mixture vigorously if ice crystals begin forming unevenly near the edges of the pan.
