If there’s one ice cream flavor that is ubiquitous across the country and the world at large, it has to be the Vanilla Ice Cream. So, on this post of mine, I have shared a simple eggless recipe of the same that results in a creamy, soft and delightful vanilla ice cream. This step-by-step procedure will help you churn the best product of this quintessential ice cream flavor at home. The recipe has minimal ingredients and the ones that won’t get you stressed while you are sourcing them too. You’ve got to try it!
About Vanilla Ice Cream
Come summers, come the array of ice creams and other similar cold/frozen sweet dishes that especially the Indian cuisine houses.
Since summers and ice creams are synonymous, then why not have the perfect recipe for a classic Vanilla Ice Cream as well!? This post is just that.
Most of us like to have ice creams or Kulfi during summers. And when it comes to ice creams, the undefeated champion is the Vanilla Ice Cream.
Why? Because it is simple and basic. So, can be easily jazzed up to something really fancy as well and made into a complete, good-looking dessert itself.
Before I go more into the details of this recipe, here’s some more scoop on the Vanilla Ice Cream.
Till the 1760s, none of the ice cream recipes featured vanilla as the common flavoring. It was considered as rare as any other fancy food stuff or ingredient.
According to food historians, it is believed that the famous American philosopher and statesman Thomas Jefferson can be regarded as the ‘father of the Vanilla Ice Cream’ in USA.
He came across the flavor in France, after which he introduced the recipe to the Unites States of America. He also had his version of the recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream.
The popularity of Vanilla Ice Cream reached its peak by the early 19th century, when this ice cream flavor was touted as the most common one.
About My Recipe
With ingredients like full fat milk or full cream milk, milk, vanilla extract, sugar, cream and cornstarch (cornflour), this recipe of Vanilla Ice Cream demonstrates the basic method of preparing an eggless version.
For making this Vanilla Ice Cream, a custard is prepared first. Whipped cream is folded in the custard and then kept to freeze. There are other variations too, with some being very quick and some taking time.
In this Vanilla Ice Cream recipe, no ice cream maker is used. You just need a good electric blender.
You can also check this quick, easy, no churn and another no ice cream maker recipe of the vanilla flavored Ice Cream Recipe made with just 3 ingredients.
Since it is very hot at my area of stay, the Vanilla Ice Cream would begin to melt as soon as I would serve or take pictures.
I tried a lot of times to get a neat frozen ice cream picture. But the temperature was very unforgiving. Thus, ended up with what you see on this post. However, trust me, the taste is just on-point.
You can serve the Vanilla Ice Cream plain or topped with a chocolate or caramel sauce. You can also serve the ice cream with fruits like chopped mangoes, a mix of fruits and berries, dry fruits and nuts.
How to make Vanilla Ice Cream
Prep and Make Custard Sauce
1. Before you begin, set the temperature in the refrigerator to its highest cold setting.
Then, in a small bowl, take 2 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Easily swap cornstarch with arrowroot flour and rice flour.
2. Mix to a smooth paste.
3. In a saucepan or pan, take 1.5 cups full cream milk or full-fat milk.
4. Add ½ cup sugar.
5. Keep this pan on the stovetop and begin to heat it. Stir, so that the sugar dissolves.
6. When the milk becomes slightly hot, add the cornstarch paste gradually.
7. Stir quickly, so that lumps are not formed.
8. Simmer on low to medium heat till the milk thickens. Stir often while the milk is thickening, so that the milk does not get browned or burnt from the base.
9. The custard sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
10. Take this custard sauce mixture in a bowl and allow it to become warm or cool. Then, keep covered in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour.
11. Remove from the freezer. Change the temperature setting of your refrigerator back to the earlier one.
12. With an electric beater, beat on a medium to high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. You can also beat in a blender or mixer jar.
13. Beat the custard sauce very well.
Whip Fresh Cream
14. In another bowl, take 200 ml (about ¾ cup) cold or chilled fresh cream.
You can use heavy whipping cream having 36% fat and above. Even malai (cream that floats on top of milk or clotted cream} can be used.
Remember that the cream or malai has to chilled or cold.
15. Begin to whip the cream on medium to high speed.
16. Whip till you get soft peaks.
17. Add 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. Here, I used homemade vanilla extract. You can also add scraped seeds from 1 or 2 vanilla beans.
Make Vanilla Ice Cream
18. Add the whisked custard sauce to the whipped cream-vanilla mixture.
19. Fold gently and lightly, taking care that the ice cream mixture holds the volume and does not fall flat.
20. Here’s the Vanilla Ice Cream mixture ready to go in the freezer. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid, aluminium foil or cling film. Keep in the freezer.
21. When the ice cream is semi-set after 4 to 5 hours, remove and whip again very well in the same bowl. I did not take picture of this step as I whipped the ice cream in the night.
Again, cover tightly and keep the ice cream in the freezer till it is completely set. The picture below is that of ice cream after it is set. If you want a smoother texture, you can whip twice or thrice too.
22. When the ice cream is well set, scoop and serve Vanilla Ice Cream in bowls or plates.
You can top the ice cream with any sauce (chocolate or caramel) or fruits or serve it plain. You can even garnish with chocolate sprinklers or chocolate chips.
Expert Tips
- Cream: For the cream, you can use any one of these – whipping cream or heavy cream with 36% fat and above. Make sure to use whole milk or full cream milk for this ice cream recipe. This is how you will achieve a creamy and soft-textured ice cream.
- Temperature: Ensure setting the temperature of your refrigerator to the highest cold setting before beginning with the process of making the ice cream. Also make sure the cream is cold or chilled before you whip it.
- Vanilla: If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can also scrape the seeds from 1 to 2 vanilla beans and use it for the recipe. Even vanilla powders works well.
- Texture: To get a smoother texture in the ice cream, whip the mixture twice or thrice once the ice cream is semi-frozen.
- Thickening Substitutes: In place of cornstarch (cornflour), use rice flour or arrowroot flour or tapioca starch.
- Vegan Swaps: In place of whipping cream, use non-dairy cream or non-dairy whipping cream; in place of dairy milk, you can use almond milk or any of your preferred plant based milk.
More Ice Creams To Try!
Dessert Recipes
Dessert Recipes
Dessert Recipes
Dessert Recipes
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Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe (Easy & Homemade)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons milk – full cream milk or whole milk
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 to 2 vanilla beans
- ½ cup sugar or add as per taste
- 200 ml cream whipping or heavy, about ¾ cup cream – 36% fat and above
Instructions
Making custard sauce
- Before you begin, set the temperature in your fridge to its highest cold setting. In a small bowl, take 2 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
- In a saucepan or pan, take 1.5 cups full cream milk or whole milk. Add ½ cup sugar.
- Keep this pan on the stovetop and begin to heat it. Stir so that the sugar dissolves.
- When the milk becomes slightly hot, add the cornstarch paste gradually.
- Stir quickly so that lumps are not formed.
- Simmer on a low to medium heat, till the milk thickens.
- The custard sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- Take the custard sauce in a bowl and allow it to become warm or cool down. Later keep in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Remove from the fridge. Change the temperature setting of your fridge back to the earlier one.
- With an electric beater, beat the custard sauce till it increases a bit in volume. Beat on a medium to high speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
Whipping cream
- In another bowl, take about the heavy cream or whipping cream.
- Begin to whip the cream on medium to high speed. Whip till you get soft peaks.
- Add the vanilla extract. Here I used homemade vanilla extract. You can also add seeds from 1 or 2 vanilla beans.
Making vanilla ice cream
- Then add whisked cornstarch thickened milk to the whipped cream.
- Fold lightly taking care that the ice cream mixture holds the volume and does not fall flat.
- Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or aluminium foil or cling film. Keep in the freezer.
- When the ice cream is semi-set or semi-frozen after 4 to 5 hours, remove and whip again very well in the same bowl. Cover again tightly and keep in the freezer for the ice cream to set.
- When the vanilla ice cream is well set, scoop and serve in bowls or plates. You can top the ice cream with any syrup or fruits or serve it as is.
Notes
Substitutions
- Cornstarch – Swap with rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot flour. Mix to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Cream – Malai or clotted cream that floats on top of the milk can be used.
- Dairy milk – Almond milk or any preferred plant based milk.
- Fresh cream – Non-dairy cream or non-dairy whipping cream.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Vanilla Ice Cream from the archives, originally published in May 2015 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
electric blender is used at two places…dont have electric blender..
can i mix it with hand or spoon??
in the first instance, mixing with a spoon or a wired whisk is easy. but whipping fresh cream is difficult with a spoon. if you have a wired whisk, you can use that but it involved a lot of handwork and takes time. also a heavy whipping cream will whip faster than a low fat one. if you have mixer or blender, you can also use that.
Mam without corn starch ke banani ho to kaise banaye .ice cream ko fast me bhi kha sake
neeru, agar corn starch nahin hain, toh aap vanilla custard powder ka bhi prayog kar sakte hain. chawal ka atta bhi prayog kar sakte hain. doodh gada hona chahiye, isliye corn starch ko dala gaya hain. ice cream jaldi hone ke liye, freezer ko sabe zyaada lower temperature par rakhe.
can custard powder be used in place of corn starch?
yes you can easily add custard powder in place of corn starch.
Plz mujhe without sugar heavy cream ka naam batayein.
neeru, i have replied to your comment here – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/eggless-strawberry-ice-cream-recipe/#comment-517627
i always use amul cream. i do not get heavy cream where i live and so i do not know which brand is good.
Made this Ice cream recipe recently and followed it up with your recipe of the Trifle! Both were a hit!! The ease and the steps on this blog makes me comfortable and makes me want to try newer recipes each time 🙂
Kudos and thanks a bunch 🙂
this means a lot to us thankyou so much jahnavi 🙂
Very nice recipe
Congratulations on the launch of your App. I regularly follow your recipes and cook for my family. Your blog has been very helpful. Thank you and Congratulations once again.
Reply on Twitter handle @ThakkarSanjana
thankyou sanjana 🙂 pleased to know this.
thank you so much for your reply…im definitely going to try this recipe
welcome trisha.
Hello maam…i am a big fan of your recipes… Whenever i want to make cakes for my son…i folllow your whole wheat recipes…i had few questions…
1. Is corn starch and corn flour same? Can we use cornflour?
2. Can we use whipped cream available in the market instead of amul fresh cream?.. Do we need to also beat whipped cream?
3. Do we need to keep cream in freezer to make it chilled before whipping?
Thanks
thanks trisha.
1. corn starch and corn flour are two terms used for the same ingredient outside india and in india respectively. abroad it is called as corn starch and in india we call it corn flour. it is a white colored flour. not to be confused with the yellow colored flour which is known as maize flour in india. maize flour is also known as makki ka atta in hindi.
2. yes you can use the whipped cream available in the market. if the cream is already whipped and sold, then no need to whip. if not, then you will need to beat it.
3. yes. it helps in better whipping.
can we add vanilla essence?
vanilla extract or vanilla beans give a good flavor. but you can add vanilla essence too. just add 1 to 1.5 tsp vanilla essence.
can we add condensed milk and milk powder and at what stage? as i hav a lot of milk powder left at home
with condensed milk and milk powder, the recipe will change. it will be a totally different method and difficult to tell the at what stage these will be added.
Mikk that u mentioned is boiled milk?
Sry i m new to cook
yes sathya boiled milk hope this helps you 🙂
It was superb. Thnk u
welcome swetha 🙂
I tried this Ice Cream.It was awesome. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Please do share Coffee Ice Cream recipe.
thankyou so much beena have taken your request for coffee icecream on our file.
It was my first attempt to make an ice cream and except the color everything is fine and good….
Thanks
okay. the taste and texture should be good. color can be less or more dark, but the taste should be good.