If you've never made ice cream at home but want to give it a try, start here.

This is a tutorial for making plain vanilla ice cream, from start to finish, showing you your
options for recipes and churning methods along the way. And here's the real secret: When
you make vanilla ice cream at home, with good milk and cream, and real vanilla bean, it's
anything but plain!

Making ice cream is really a fairly simple process. It can feel complicated because people
get very passionate about it and add little tricks and steps to make a better end product,
and there are a lot of options when it comes to recipes, tools, and methods.

Here is a very basic, very simple, nearly foolproof recipe for making ice cream. Instead of
the traditional egg custard base, it uses cornstarch and a few tablespoons of cream
cheese to thicken the base. It's not enough that you taste the cream cheese, but just
enough to give the ice cream a creamy, silky mouthfeel.

Ice Cream Churning & Freezing Options

 Freeze-the-Bowl Home Ice Cream Maker: The most popular and common way of making
ice cream at home is with a "freeze-the-bowl" model. This includes the KitchenAid bowl
attachment, and the very popular Cuisinart ice cream maker (reviewed here). These are
all relatively inexpensive options (you can find these attachments or machines for
between $40 and $70), but you need extra freezer space to freeze the ice cream bowl
until the special fluid inside is rock-hard. Then you put in your chilled ice cream base,
and let the machine stir the ice cream until it is mostly frozen. You can only make one
batch at a time before you need to refreeze the bowl overnight again.
 Classic Ice and Salt Ice Cream Maker: The old-school way of making ice cream was a big
bucket packed with salt and ice, with a smaller pail inside filled with the ice cream base.
The salted ice created a low temperature environment, and then the ice cream base was
churned with a paddle. Today you can still find these old-fashioned ice cream makers.
They don't make quite as smooth of a product, but they are cheaper and lower-energy,
especially the ones that require hand-cranking (you can also get electric-crank makers).
They do require you to provide your own salt and ice, but they often make bigger
batches.
 Compressor-Model Ice Cream Maker: These ice cream makers have a built-in freezer so
you don't need to freeze the bowl or any of the components. Just pour in ice cream and
turn on the switch. You can make many back-to-back batches like this, and the quality
and consistency of the ice cream is quite similar to the freeze-the-bowl models. They are
more expensive, though (running about $300). See our review here of a Cuisinart model.
 Homemade Ice Cream Hack: There are many ways to get ice cream to freeze well
without using a machine. Here is a good post that shows you some of the best ways, from
using hand beaters and a bowl full of ice, to using a food processor
 Learn How to Make Homemade Ice Cream in an Ice Cream Machine

Getty/GSPictures

You can enjoy homemade ice cream quickly and easily with an automatic ice cream
maker. This tutorial demonstrates how to make vanilla ice cream with a custard base --
it uses eggs and is cooked to thicken the mixture.

Once you master this technique, you can try other flavors. Explore the list ofinteresting
ice cream flavors for ideas or check out the recipes below.

Ice Cream Makers

The Cuisinart ICE-20 ice cream maker is shown here. Like many ice cream machines, it
comes with a freezer bowl and a...MORE
  02of 09

Assemble Your Ingredients

Jessica Harlan

Before you begin, make sure that your freezer bowl is completely frozen. It's a good
idea to put it in the freezer a full 24 hours before you plan to make the ice cream. Some
people even store their freezer bowl in the freezer so that it's always ready to go when
you're craving ice cream. Also, allow enough time for the custard to chill before you
plan to make the ice cream, which could take several hours.

First, assemble the ingredients for this Basic Vanilla Custard Recipe.

Equipment You'll...MORE

 03of 09
Make the Custard Base

Jessica Harlan

Break the eggs into a medium mixing bowl and whisk in the sugar and the pinch of salt.
Continue whisking until it is frothy and lemony yellow.

 04of 09

Cook and Temper the Custard

Jessica Harlan

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the milk and cream over medium heat until it just
starts to simmer.

Gradually add the milk, a little at a time, to the eggs in the bowl, whisking constantly. A
tip is to put the mixing bowl on a dish towel to hold it in place while you whisk.

This process is called tempering. By adding the hot milk to the cooler eggs gradually, it
prevents the eggs from getting scrambled.

 05of 09

Cook the Custard

Jessica Harlan

When all the milk has been added, pour the milk-egg mixture back into the pan and
cook it over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the
back of a spoon.

When you run your finger across the back of the spoon, the uncovered stripe will
remain. This will take about 5 to 8 minutes.

 06of 09

Strain and Cool the Custard

Jessica Harlan

Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a fine mesh colander into a bowl to
remove any scrambled egg bits. This part is optional if you're in a hurry and don't see a
lot of little particles in your mixture, but it does make a smoother ice cream.

Cool the mixture slightly, then stir in the cream and vanilla.

Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, several hours or overnight.

 07of 09

Freeze the Ice Cream

Jessica Harlan

When you're ready to make your ice cream, remove the freezer bowl from the freezer
and assemble your machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Turn the
machine on first, then pour in the ice cream base.

If you're using an ice cream maker that uses ice and rock salt, such as theHamilton
Beach 4-Quart Ice Cream Maker, follow the manufacturer's instructions to layer ice and
salt in the barrel.

Then add your chilled custard to the canister, attach the dasher and turn it on (or,
if...MORE

 08of 09

Monitor The Ice Cream's Progress

Jessica Harlan

As your ice cream maker churns the custard, you'll gradually see it thickening. The
custard that's in contact with the sides of the bowl freezes, while the paddle
continuously scrapes it back into the middle.

Depending on your machine and how chilled the custard was to begin with, the ice
cream should take 15 to 20 minutes to thicken up. Start checking it after 10 to 12
minutes.

 09of 09

Checking Ice Cream for Firmness

Jessica Harlan

When it's finished, the ice cream should hold its shape when scooped with a spoon, but
you can freeze it to the firmness you want.

Adding Mix-Ins to Your Ice Cream

If you want to add ingredients such as nuts, fruit, or candy bits, add them after about 12
to 15 minutes when the ice cream is starting to solidify, but before it gets to your
desired consistency. Your mix-in pieces should not be larger than the size of a
chocolate chip.

Enjoying Your Ice Cream