Easy Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

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This vanilla ice cream recipe yields the most luxuriously creamy treat, you’d NEVER guess how quick and easy it was to make! Read on to learn just how simple it is to create your very own homemade vanilla ice cream.

Honestly, I’m not kidding. This beautiful treat is SO easy to make – it only requires 5 ingredients and 60 seconds to make the mixture. Yes seriously!

All you have to do is mix the ingredients together then throw it in an ice cream churner. That’s IT. No slaving over a hot stove making a custard base here!

It really is stunning ice cream too. So unbelievably smooth and creamy! This is a vanilla ice cream recipe you need to stock your freezer up with ready for the hot Summer months to come.

How can I make ice cream at home?

There are many ways to make ice cream at home. You can make a custard base, add your flavouring, chill then churn in an ice cream maker. You could use a ‘cheat’ method like this recipe where you simply mix milk, cream, sugar and your flavouring then churn in an ice cream maker. Or you can even make ‘no churn’ ice creams for those of you who don’t own an ice cream churner.

How do you make vanilla ice cream from scratch?

There are lots of different methods to make ice cream from scratch. The traditional method requires you to make a custard base using milk, sugar and egg yolks. You then add the vanilla and chill completely before churning in an ice cream maker/churner. This particular recipe is much faster and easier than the traditional method.

What you need to know

Making homemade vanilla ice cream isn’t difficult. Not this recipe anyway! But there’s still some important things you should know before diving straight in. Check out some seriously helpful information below, especially the recipe tips section!

Ingredients

What you need to know about the ingredients…

• Cream – This has to be double cream (heavy in the US). Otherwise the fat content won’t be high enough to make your ice cream super creamy!
• Milk – Just like with the cream, this needs to be whole milk too. Trust me. I mean, in the words of Joey Tribbiani – if you’re going to do something wrong, do it right!
• Sugar – I prefer to use icing sugar (confectioners sugar) as it dissolves much more easily into the cream/milk. You can use 150g (3/4 cup) of caster sugar instead though if that’s all you have.
• Salt – You season your dinner, why wouldn’t you season your dessert?! Table salt is fine, we want flavour here not texture.
• Vanilla * – Given that it’s vanilla ice cream, you need to use the good stuff here. My favourite for this is Nielsen Massey vanilla paste (affiliate link) as it’s tastes amazing plus you can see all the pretty seeds throughout the ice cream! Extract will taste just as good though.

*You can always have a go at make your own using a vanilla bean paste recipe.

How to make vanilla ice cream – recipe summary

1. Mix cream and milk together in a jug.
2. Stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved.
3. Mix through the vanilla paste.
4. Churn until thick then freeze.

Recipe tips

It’s so easy to make silly mistakes, even with really simple recipes like this one! (Trust me, I would know!) Here’s some tips I think you’ll find really helpful when making this vanilla ice cream recipe.

• Use the best quality ingredients you can afford. Especially in a recipe that requires so few of them! With this recipe, the vanilla is particularly important as you will really taste the difference.
• Read through the whole recipe before you begin so you don’t get any unexpected surprises
• Ensure the cream and milk are very cold before you place them into the ice cream churner! Otherwise it may not thicken up enough.
• The higher the fat content the creamier your ice cream will be. So don’t skimp on using double cream and full fat whole milk!

How to store homemade vanilla ice cream

I would definitely be storing your vanilla ice cream in the freezer! Otherwise I think you might have problems hahaha!

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream – Step by Step Picture Recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make 800ml (about 6-8 servings).

• 420ml (1 + 3/4 Cup) Double Cream
• 300ml (1 + 1/4 Cup) Whole Milk
• 100g (3/4 Cup) Icing Sugar *
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Paste **

*You could also use 150g (3/4 Cup) caster sugar instead.

**You can use vanilla extract but you won’t see the lovely seeds throughout the ice cream.

Essential equipment

• Ice Cream Churner #
• Loaf Tin or Plastic Tub
• Jug
• Whisk

#Bowl pre-frozen if your machine requires it.

Instructions

If using a loaf tin, line the base and 2 sides and set up your cream churner if necessary. Then mix together the double cream (420ml | 1 + 3/4 Cup) and whole milk (300ml | 1 + 1/4 Cup) in a jug.

Next whisk in the icing sugar (100g | 3/4 Cup) and salt (1/4 tsp). Go slowly at first or you could end up in a bit of a mushroom cloud!

You could also use 150g (3/4 Cup) of caster sugar instead. Just make sure you mix until the sugar is dissolved.

Time for some flavour! Whisk in the vanilla paste (1 tbsp) until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Working quickly (as your ingredients need to be cold!) pour the ice cream mixture into your ice cream churner.

Now leave the machine to do it’s thing! Mine took about 20-25 minutes until it was thick enough.

Once ready, pour into your lined loaf tin or plastic tub and freeze completely before serving.

Don’t forget to wrap it really well if using a non lidded tin or tub!

And there you have it! Your very own beautiful homemade vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Other recipes you might like…

• Rhubarb and custard ice cream
• Salted caramel brownie ice cream cake
• No churn Nutella ice cream
• Biscoff ice cream cake

Have you made this recipe?

Have you made this luxurious vanilla ice cream? I’d love to know if you have! Send me your pics, comments and questions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or email me at emma@kitchenmason.com.

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Easy Vanilla Ice Cream - Printable Recipe

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Churn Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This vanilla ice cream is SO luxurious, creamy and indulgent - you'd NEVER guess how quick and easy it is to make!

Print

Ingredients

• 420ml (1 + 3/4 Cup) Double Cream
• 300ml (1 + 1/4 Cup) Whole Milk
• 100g (3/4 Cup) Icing Sugar *
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Paste **

Essential equipment

• Loaf Tin or Plastic Tub
• Ice Cream Churner #
• Jug
• Whisk

Instructions

1. Line your loaf tin (if using) and set up your ice cream churner. Then mix the cream and milk together in a jug.

1. Whisk in the icing sugar and salt until dissolved.
2. Whisk through the vanilla paste until mixed evenly throughout the mixture.
3. Pour into your ice cream churner and let it do it's thing for 20-25 mins until thickened.
4. Tip the ice cream into your prepared loaf tin and wrap well (or plastic tub). Freeze completely before serving.

Notes

*You could also use 150g (3/4 Cup) caster sugar instead.

**You can use vanilla extract but you won’t see the lovely seeds throughout the ice cream.

#Bowl pre-frozen if your machine requires it.

See the main post for a more detailed, step by step picture recipe.

Be sure to read the 'What you need to know' section (especially the 'Recipe tips' part!) for lots of helpful information before you begin making this recipe.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

• 
  Pyrex 500ml Measuring Jug
• 
  OXO Good Grips Ice Cream Scoop

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 257Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g

Nutritional information on kitchenmason.com should only be used as a general guideline, I am not a certified nutritionist. Please always check labels for allergens where applicable.

Did you make this recipe?

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