Vanilla base
- 200 g heavy cream
- 200 g whole milk
- 75 g sugar (split)
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ vanilla pod
- 1 pinch salt
Coffee variation
- 250 g heavy cream
- 125 g whole milk
- 75 g sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 50 g coffee beans
- 1 pinch salt
Matcha variation
- 250 g heavy cream
- 125 g whole milk
- 75 g sugar
- 2–3 egg yolks
- 8–10 g matcha powder
- 7 g hot water
- 1 pinch salt
All three flavours share the same crème anglaise base — the discipline is the same: slow heat, precise temperature, overnight rest. The overnight maturation is what separates an icy home ice cream from a smooth one. An instant-read thermometer is not optional.
Method
Custard base
- Heat milk, cream, half the sugar, and vanilla until just simmering.
- Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar and salt until pale.
- Temper: slowly pour a little of the hot mixture over the yolks while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan.
- Cook over low heat to 82°C — the custard should coat the back of a spoon. Never boil.
- Strain through a sieve. Cool immediately in an ice bath. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate overnight.
Coffee variation
- Heat cream, milk, and coffee beans until simmering. Remove from heat and infuse 1–2 h. Strain.
- Continue from step 2 of the custard base. For a more intense flavour, add 1 tsp instant coffee to the warm base.
Matcha variation
- Dissolve matcha in hot water to form a smooth paste with no lumps.
- Follow the custard base method. Off the heat, whisk in the matcha paste before straining.
Churning
- Freeze the KitchenAid sorbet bowl 15–24h (no liquid sound when shaken).
- Start the machine before pouring. Pour the cold base in slowly.
- Churn 20–30 min until the texture of soft-serve ice cream.
- Transfer immediately to containers. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface, seal. Freeze 4–6h before serving.
Without a machine: whisk the cold base 2–3 min, freeze, then stir every 30 min for 3 h.
Background
The overnight maturation is not optional. It allows fat molecules to fully crystallise, which gives a smoother, more stable texture when churned. A base churned straight from the fridge without resting overnight will always be coarser and icier.
The critical window for the custard is 82–84°C. Below that it won't thicken properly. Above it the eggs scramble and the texture becomes grainy and irreversible. Slow heat and a thermometer are the only reliable way through this.
Storage is up to 2 weeks in the freezer. The plastic wrap directly on the surface prevents ice crystals from forming on the top layer.
Mistakes I've Made
- Boiling the custard. The eggs scramble and the texture becomes grainy. There is no recovery. Cook slowly and keep the thermometer in at all times.
- Skipping the overnight rest. The ice cream will be coarser and icier. The maturation is what makes the texture fine.
- Churning a warm base. The bowl refreezes unevenly and the texture suffers. The base must be fully cold from the fridge before churning.
- No plastic wrap in the freezer. Ice crystals form on the top layer. Always press wrap directly on the surface.
Sources
- Glace —