Frozen custard

Susan Reid’s frozen custard turns a vanilla-infused egg-yolk custard into a rich ice cream. This version uses half-and-half, granulated sugar, table salt and six large yolks, with a split vanilla bean supplying the flavour.

A strainer is set over a bowl resting in an external ice bath. Three-quarters of the listed half-and-half is heated with the split vanilla bean, sugar and salt until the mixture simmers and the sugar dissolves.

The egg yolks are whisked with the remaining half-and-half. Half of the hot liquid is gradually whisked into the yolks, then the entire yolk mixture returns to the saucepan and cooks at a very low simmer without boiling.

When the custard coats a spoon, it is strained into the bowl over ice to stop cooking. Pulp is scraped from the vanilla bean into the strained custard, which cools before being covered and refrigerated.

The chilled custard is frozen in an ice cream maker, then transferred to a sturdy container with a tight-fitting lid. The finished frozen dessert keeps the vanilla flavour throughout its egg-yolk-and-cream base.