Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

Yield:   2 cups

# of Servings: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
1 cup crème fraîche
½ cup (4 fl oz) half and half, or light cream

1 cup (8 fl oz) half and half, or light cream
1 small vanilla bean, split and scraped
¼ cup (1.75 oz / 49 g) granulated sugar

4 egg yolks
1 pinch of salt
¼ cup (1.75 oz / 49 g) granulated sugar

Tools and equipment needed:

• Fine mesh strainer, heat-proof spatula, wire whisk, instant read thermometer
• Ice cream maker
• Small stainless-steel heavy-bottomed sauce pan

Pre-recipe preparations:

• Day before – if using ice cream maker with separate freezer bowl, place in freezer overnight.
• Set up ice bath
• Place all tools and equipment where they will be used. The heat-proof spatula and the thermometer need to ready by stove top. The ice bath, strainer, container for the cooked custard, and trivet need to ready on a counter.  

Directions:

1. Whisk the crème fraîche and the half and half together in a medium bowl. Set aside with a fine mesh strainer over the bowl
2. Place the larger amount of half and half, vanilla bean and scraped seeds, and sugar in small saucepan. Heat to a simmer, remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and bring back to the simmer over low flame.
3. Whisk together the egg yolks, salt and sugar, just enough to thoroughly combine. 
4. Temper (warm) the egg yolks by gradually whisking in approximately ¼  of the hot half and half. 
5. Whisk the warmed egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring the bottom constantly with a heat-proof spatula, until it coats the back of a spoon, 180°F. 
6. Remove from the heat, and pour through the fine mesh strainer into the mixing bowl with the crème fraîche. 
7. Whisk several times to release some heat, and place in ice bath.
8. Stir the custard occasionally with a clean spatula until it cools down to 60°F. 
9. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
10. Churn the ice cream according to the machine’s directions.
11. Remove from machine bowl and freeze in a plastic container.