Vanilla Ice Cream Without a Machine

Adapted from a recipe by Kenji Lopez-Alt at Serious Eats. http://bit.ly/cuRxay - Despite the presence of whipped cream, this is real ice cream, not frozen mousse! The trick is to freeze the base as quickly as possible, using ice cube trays. Then, blend the frozen custard cubes with more cream until smooth. This prevents too many ice crystals from forming, and limits the amount of overrun.

• Ready In: 8 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients

• 8  large  egg yolks
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2  cups heavy cream, divided

Directions

1. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt until pale yellow and forms a ribbon, about 5 minutes (either by hand or in a stand mixer).
2. Pour evaporated milk into a small saucepan and heat gently until it comes to a simmer. Whisking constantly, pour hot milk into eggs in a thin stream, until fully incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan and heat gently, whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 180°F. (It should be thick and custardy; if overheated, the eggs will scramble.) Transfer to a clean container, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
3. Whip 1 c heavy cream until doubled in volume and soft peaks form. Fold into egg mixture with whisk just until no lumps are visible. Portion into ice cube trays and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
4. Transfer frozen custard into food processor and add remaining heavy cream. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides and breaking up lumps as necessary. Transfer to a clean quart-sized container and freeze until solid, about 4 hours. Remove from freezer about 5 minutes before serving.