Almost all of my ice cream recipes are based off of one of two base recipes: with eggs or without!  I’ve adapted the “without eggs” version over the years, but don’t remember where it came from.  The “with eggs” version came from my mom, who got it from my dad’s mom…

DISCLAIMER: My grandparents grew up with farm fresh eggs so cooking them before throwing them in the ice cream never made sense.  We’ve never adjusted it to abide by the current USDA rules; one day I’ll take the time to cook the custard first, but for now I should tell you that “raw eggs can kill you”.

I have a pretty small ice cream maker (1.5 qt), so you may want to adjust the recipes according to the size of your ice cream maker.  It’s a good thing mine isn’t any bigger because I would eat it if I made it!

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 scant cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cream
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t salt

A couple of notes about the ingredients:

• Eggs: Yes, use the yolks
• Sugar: I like to use refined sugar.  I think the larger sugar crystals in some of the natural sugars make the ice cream less creamy.
• Milk: I usually use 2% because that’s what’s in the fridge, but whole would probably make it even yummier.
• Cream & Milk: I like to use non-homogenized, local dairy milk (it tastes better and the glass bottles are cool!)
• Vanilla: Use the good stuff, not the imitation. Feel free to add more or less depending on your preferences.
• Salt: I usually grind my own directly into the bowl.  Unlike the sugar, I haven’t found any issues with the larger salt crystals.

Instructions:

Beat the eggs till blended.  I usually use a hand/stick blender with the whisk attachment.  Gradually add the sugar to the eggs and continue beating until stiff (basically, thick and creamy looking.  They won’t get stiff like egg whites because they have yolk as well).  Add milk, cream, vanilla, and salt.  Whisk until well mixed.  Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Enjoy!

I’ll post more info on the “non-egg” recipe (it’s not as good in most applications) and some more creative ice cream flavors (e.g., orange creamsicle, mint) as the summer progresses.

Cheers,
K