Question: Cookies or Cupcakes?

Answer: Ice Cream.

Go!

This recipe sprang forth from perusing several  different ice cream and frozen custard recipes, focusing on what Martha and Ina had to say, including a simple recipe from Incredible Egg. It is simple, straightforward, and so good!

2 Eggs + 3 Egg Yolks
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Quart Whole Milk
2 Vanilla Beans
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Tbs. Honey
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt

Please Note
Make sure you know all the requirements of your specific ice cream maker, such as freezing the bowl insert overnight. I made this base the night before I wanted to make the actual ice cream so it could chill in the fridge overnight and the ice cream maker bowl could become properly frozen.

Using a double boiler (I just used a large metal bowl over a pot of simmering water), whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar for about 10 minutes
Set the eggs aside
Pour the simmering water out of the pot and replace it with the quart of milk
Place on medium heat
Scrape the inside of the vanilla beans and stir into the milk (save the pods*) along with the extractAdd salt and honey
Bring milk to a simmer
Ladle several spoons of the simmering milk into the eggs and stir before adding it all back to the milk
Lower the heat and allow the mixture to hang out for a bit, stirring occasionally
Prepare an ice bath in one side of your sink
Use the same metal bowl and chill the ice cream base in the ice bath before storing in a Tupperware
Chill the base in the fridge for at least one hour (I left mine overnight)

When you are ready to churn the ice cream, follow the instructions on your particular ice cream maker.

If using a Cuisinart http://www.cuisinart.com/products/ice_cream/ice-21 like mine, do not forget to put the paddle attachment thingy in before pouring in the ice cream base. Otherwise, chaos will ensue in which you will feel confusion, followed by panic, followed by problem-solving!

Hypothetically.

Anyway, be sure to scrape all the lovely black vanilla seeds from the bottom of the container into the ice cream maker.

After 20 minutes we officially have ice cream!

Transfer into a freezer safe Tupperware and then lick the spatula to tide yourself over.

After Dinner, we consumed a dainty bowl of still soft frozen dairy crystals.

The vanilla bean and brown sugar compose a duet of flavors that do not fight for the spotlight, but harmonize and help each other shine.

*Vanilla Sugar – Plunge the Vanilla Beans into a jar with a reliable lid and cover with sugar.

I have wanted to do this since The Barefoot Contessa told me I should, so this is pretty much a bucket list item. #inaforanhour