FROZEN CUSTARD

 

Contributed by Mary Jo Tansy

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film and reaches at least 160°.

Cool quickly by setting the pan in ice or cold water and stirring for a few minutes.

Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least one hour.

When ready to freeze, pour chilled custard, whipping cream, and vanilla into a 1-gallon ice cream freezer can. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions using six parts ice to one part rock salt. Transfer to freezer containers and freeze until firm.

VARIATIONS
Banana Nut: Reduce vanilla to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Cook and cool as above. Stir three large ripe bananas, mashed and 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans into custard mixture. Freeze as above.

Cherry: Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Add 2 tablespoons almond extract. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 2 pounds pitted pureed dark sweet fresh cherries OR one can (16 to 17 oz.) pitted dark sweet cherries, drained and chopped. Complete freezing.

Chocolate: Add three squares (1 oz. each) of unsweetened chocolate to the egg mixture. Cook, cool, and freeze as above.

Plum: Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 1 1/2 pounds pitted, pureed, ripe, fresh plums. Complete freezing.

Strawberry: Omit vanilla. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 2 cups sweetened, crushed fresh strawberries. Complete freezing.

Makes 1-1/2 to 2 quarts.