Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 pint milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 oz sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 egg whites
• 1 pint cream
• 1 tsp vanilla or lemon flavouring

Method

Heat the milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over moderate heat, stirring constantly. The cornstarch thickens the base by gelatinising the starch granules, which stabilises the emulsification later and prevents large ice crystals forming during freezing. Bring the mixture to a bare scalding point — small bubbles at the rim, steam rising — but stop before a rolling boil. A boil will scramble the yolks and thin the custard irreversibly. The base is ready when it coats the back of a spoon thickly enough that a finger drawn across leaves a clean trail. This takes roughly 8–10 minutes. Tip into a cold bowl or pass through a fine sieve to arrest the cooking immediately.

While the custard cools, whip the egg whites and cream together in a separate bowl. Start on moderate speed until the mixture thickens and soft peaks form — the point where the whisk lifted clear leaves peaks that curl over at the tip. This incorporation of air is critical: the foam structure traps ice crystals and creates the smooth texture that distinguishes proper ice cream from a frozen custard block. Stop when the peaks are soft; overbeating collapses the structure and begins to separate the fat from the dairy solids.

Once the custard is cool to room temperature, fold it gently into the whipped mixture using a spatula. Work in thirds, turning the bowl as you fold, to maintain the air you've built. The vanilla or lemon should go in now — add it to taste, bearing in mind that freezing blunts flavour perception, so the base should taste noticeably stronger than the finished ice cream you want.

Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's settings — typically 20–30 minutes for a machine churn. The constant agitation prevents large ice crystals from forming and keeps the mixture light. If churning by hand in the freezer, scrape down the sides and beat every 15 minutes for about an hour, until the mixture is thick and pale. Transfer to a container, cover, and freeze until firm. Serve within two weeks.