Homemade Vanilla and Oreo Ice Cream

I've been experimenting with ice cream but it's always eaten so fast I don't get a picture!

I started with this base for a Homemade Oreo recipe I found.  The first time I made it I thought maybe I got too much vanilla in it because something just didn't taste right.  The second time I put hardly any vanilla in and still didn't think it tasted right.  After the second batch sat in the freezer overnight however it was pretty darn good.

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream

3 cups half and half
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
12-15 double stuffed oreo cookies, roughly chopped

Heat the half and half in sauce pan, over medium heat, until bubbles form around edges.  Do not boil!  Just until you see tiny bubbles start to gather around the edge of the pan.  Beat the egg yolks and sugar, on medium high speed, until combined and forms yellow ribbons.  Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add half and half to egg mixture until well combined.  It is important to pour slowly to prevent the eggs from curdling.

Pour the combined liquid back into the sauce pan and cook over medium low heat.  Stir constantly for about 5-8 minutes until thickened and coats the back of the spoon.  Pour the liquid through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl.  Add the vanilla and chill in the refrigerator until completely cooled.

Pour the cream into the ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.  In the last 15 minutes of the churning process, add the chopped Oreos.  Spoon into a lidded container and freeze until completely hardened.  The freezing should take about 2 hours.  Makes about 1 quart.

As you can see this recipe required a lot of work and took a lot of time before it was ready.  I decided to look for a different recipe, preferably an egg-free one.  This is what I found, which I adjusted to 8 servings:

Vanilla Ice Cream

2 cups half and half
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup plus 2 Tb white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 pinch salt

Combine half and half, cream, sugar, vanilla and salt in freezer container of ice cream maker.  Freeze according to directions.

Some Notes on this one:  Do not mix in the freezer container!  Mix in a seperate bowl and then pour into the container of the ice cream maker.  I put the sugar in a little dish and mixed with some water.  Then I microwaved it until all the sugar was dissolved so that it wouldn't be grainy.  I set that mixture in the fridge for a little while to cool before adding to the cream mixture.  Mix it up and then put in the ice cream maker.

We liked this second recipe MUCH better!  I think I've found my vanilla base.  We've done Oreo and tonight we're doing caramel pecan.  My next ones to try are peanut butter cup and cookie dough.

This post is linked to:
Meatless Mondays at My Sweet and Savory
A Southern Fairytale
11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven
Show Me How at It's a Blog Party
Tuesday Night Supper Club at Fudge Ripple
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free
What's Cooking Wednesday at Turning the Clock Back
Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty & Bedlam
Recipe Swap Thursday at Prairie Story
Tip Day Thursday at Around My Family Table