I Scream

This weekend I made ice cream for the first time in about twenty years. My old Donvier ice cream maker made only a pint, was sold coupled with a newly-minted Ben and Jerry's recipe book, and purchased at Doolin's department store on Main Street in St. Albans.

Doolin's is no more, Ben and Jerry have split, and since the Donvier required cranking by hand, it too was defunct. Earlier this month I had the great pleasure of eating homemade ice cream once again, and I was inspired to buy an electric model (Cuisinart) as a Christmas gift (for me).

So simple, creamy and delicious! I used a Nigella Lawson recipe given to me by a friend:

2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons light cream or half and half
1 fresh vanilla bean
5 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar

Half fill the sink with cold water.

Pour the cream into your widest saucepan and add to it the vanilla bean, split lengthways. Heat, and when it is about to come to a boil but isn't boiling, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20-30 minutes. Fish out the vanilla bean and scrape the tiny seeds out of the pod with the edge of a spoon into the cream before discarding the pod.

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and creamy and then pour the cream into them, beating all the while.

Wash out the saucepan, dry it well, then pour in the beaten together yolks, sugar, and cream and, on a low to medium heat, stir unceasingly for 8 - 10 minutes.

When the custard is cooked, even if it isn't breaking, dunk the saucepan quickly into the cold water in the sink and beat well. If it it looks as though it is curdling, use a whisk, or better still an immersion blender for some frenzied, violent beating.

Chill and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.