There's nothing like fresh-churned homemade ice cream. It's cool, but melts in your mouth, creamy and smooth, and when compared to a grocery store variety, has a richer, cleaner, more pure taste. To make ice cream you need an ice cream maker and a little skill, but most of all, it requires patience. Many recipes are egg-based, and one of the steps involves tempering a ribbon-like egg yolk and sugar mixture with warm milk. If you aren't patient, the eggs will scramble. Patience also comes in handy while you're waiting for the ice cream to freeze! 
When mastering the basic procedure, start with vanilla ice cream. It's a flavor that can be enjoyed in every season, is loved by all, and pairs with a variety of desserts. Once you know how to make vanilla, it's easy to experiment with more complex flavors — you can stir in strawberry puree, or chunks of chocolate, or small pieces of Oreo cookies. To learn how it's done, keep reading.
From Martha Stewart
Ingredients
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and scraped
2 cups milk, chilled
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the vanilla beans and scrapings with the milk. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat, and let steep, covered, 30 minutes.
- Prepare an ice bath; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed until thick and pale, about 4 minutes.
- Place milk mixture over medium-high heat; bring just to a simmer. Slowly pour about 1/4 cup hot-milk mixture into egg-yolk mixture, beating on low speed until blended. Continue adding milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition.
- Return mixture to saucepan; stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Custard should retain a line drawn across the back of the spoon with your fingertip.
- Remove pan from heat; stir in chilled cream to stop cooking. Pour custard through a fine sieve into a medium bowl set in ice bath; let stand, stirring occasionally, until chilled.
- Stir in extract. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Makes 1 1/2 quarts.
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Ludd
Mm, this is the way to make ice cream. I made a vanilla ice cream this summer that used only vanilla extract and no egg yolks, so the flavor wasn't very rich or vibrant. I'll have to try this! Vanilla is a great base for adding mix-ins, like chopped up peanut butter cups! Mm!
1i have the ben and jerrys ice cream cookbook and there is a recipe for a sweet cream base that has no eggs in it so you don'thave to worry about tempering, etc. i made cherry garcia ice cream using fresh cherries and this sweet cream base and it was freakin' amazing. i'll find the recipe and post it.
2My first ice cream was a jackfruit/pineapple lassi (it was good but too salty). My second attempt was mint chocolate chip... it was perfect and used no eggs. I am excited about attempt #3.
3Mmmmm...it's such a warm day today, and nothing sounds better than a simple dish of vanilla ice cream. So tasty!
4Hmmm...this recipe makes me want to pull out my ice cream maker and try it. I really need to get one of those new ice cream makers that don't require salt because mine is a big pain in the rear to use.
5I just made some Vanilla Kahlua ice cream with B&J cookbook and it does have raw eggs (which I didn't cook, never do) and then add some choc dipped biscotti with additional roasted almonds. I'll have it after our BBQ steak dinner.
Spectra, I just got a small Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and it couldn't be easier. It only takes 1/2 hours to make.
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