ICE CREAM BASE

Ingredients

• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Golden Brown Sugar
• 2 Cups Half and Half
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Vanilla Bean
  • Split Lengthwise

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Add sugars and whisk until lightened in color and smooth.
   
   
2. Pour the half and half, the heavy cream into a medium saucepan.
   
   
3. Scrap the contents from the vanilla bean and put into the pan. Also put the pod in the pan and then place on medium heat.
   
   
4. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally while pressing onto the vanilla beans to extract all the flavor and then remove the pot from the heat.
   
   
5. Transfer a spoonful at a time of the hot cream to the egg yolk mixture while whisking the entire time. Your goal is to slowly mix in the hot mixture to temper the eggs but not to cook them. This took me about 7 minutes.
   
   
6. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. * Do Not Let the Eggs Begin to Cook!*
   
   
7. Pour the mixture into a bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least four hours.
   
   
8. Put into an ice cream maker and blend for approximately 25-35 minutes.
   
   
9. Freeze for a couple of hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

Notes:
It took about 30 minutes for me to thicken the mixture. I kept the heat low and stirred pretty consistently. It helped me to stir it often to feel it thickening and to not let it boil or overcook.