Old-fashioned vanilla ice cream

Instructions

• Combine cream with milk and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high. With a sharp paring knife, split vanilla bean in half, lengthwise. Scrape seeds from bean. Add seeds to cream mixture. Simmer, stirring often, 6 to 7 min. Reduce heat to medium-low.

• Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Wrap a damp kitchen towel around the base of the bowl (to prevent it from slipping). Gradually whisk in half of hot cream mixture. Return entire mixture to saucepan set over medium-low. With a wooden spoon, stir constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 14 to 16 min. Pour through a fine sieve into a metal bowl. Let stand for 10 min. Then lay plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent skin from forming. Chill in freezer until cold, about 1 hour.

• Scrape cold mixture into a pre-frozen ice-cream-maker bowl and churn according to manufacturer's instructions, 30 to 45 min. Transfer to a covered container and freeze up to a month.

• To serve, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, 10 min.