Instructions

1. Over medium heat, warm the milk, sugar, 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream and the salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the milk mixture and add the skins to the mixture as well. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat, cover the mixture and let it steep for 30 minutes.
2. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Remove the vanilla beans and slowly pour the still warmed vanilla cream/milk mixture into the egg yolks whisking constantly.
4. Pour the ice cream base back into the saucepan. Over medium heat, stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula. This should take about 8 minutes and be careful not to let the mixture come to a boil.
5. Pour the ice cream base through the fine-mesh sieve and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups heavy cream. Stir in the vanilla extract and place the bowl over an ice bath or leave on the counter until the mixture is cooled. Cover and transfer the ice cream base to the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
6. When ready to churn the ice cream, freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer.