Vanilla Ice Cream

Start this recipe a day ahead.

Yield: Makes 1/2 gallon

Ingredients

• 4  cups  milk
• 2 1/4  cups  sugar
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 6  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4  cups  half-and-half
• 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
• Garnish: sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a spoon. Do not boil.

Stir about one-fourth of hot milk mixture gradually into eggs; add egg mixture to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook 4 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in half-and-half and vanilla, and cool completely. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Pour into freezer container of a 4-quart electric ice-cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately, and garnish, if desired, or remove container from ice-cream maker, and place in freezer 15 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container, and freeze 2 hours or until firm. Store leftover ice cream in an airtight container.