Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk, divided
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 vanilla bean I sell them!
• 2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Whisk 1/4 cup milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl until the mixture is completely smooth, then put it aside.
2. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cup milk to a medium saucepan, along with the cream, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla bean pod. Warm it over medium-high heat, stirring often so the sugar dissolves, until the mixture just begins to boil.
3. When the saucepan reaches a boil, whisk the cornstarch mixture again. As you whisk the hot milk mixture in the pan, drizzle in the cornstarch mixture slowly. Lower the heat a bit and continue stirring while it bubbles for about 1 – 2 minutes, until thickened enough to leave a coating on the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the sour cream. Pour the base into a heatproof bowl. Press wax paper directly onto the surface so a skin does not form, then refrigerate until fully chilled. For a smoother texture and to help the ice cream maker along, freeze the chilled base for 30 minutes and stir it before churning, unless you are using a very professional-grade machine.
5. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s directions. Spoon it into an airtight container and freeze until firm. If your freezer runs very cold, leave it at room temperature for several minutes before scooping so it softens to a semi-soft texture.
6. For a faster chill before churning, set the bowl of ice cream base inside a larger bowl or large Dutch oven. Pack ice around the bowl, pour cold water over the ice, and place the setup in the freezer. Stir about every 10 minutes until the base is very cold, replacing the wax paper directly over the surface after each stir.