Creme Fraiche Ice Cream I first had this ice cream on the street outside of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Creme Fraiche gives the ice cream a tangy, sour flavor, as well as a rich airiness. In the United States, creme fraiche is somewhat hard to come by - if none is available to you, just substitute sour cream. If using sour cream, strain off some of the liquid in a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Reserve the egg whites from this recipe for use in Chocolate Chip Meringues. Serves 4-6
With a paring knife, split the vanilla pod lengthwise. Scrape the back of the knife against the pod to collect the pulp, and reserve the pulp and pod.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the vanilla, creme fraiche, half-and-half, and sugar. Heat over a medium flame until the creme fraiche has melted and the sugar is dissolved.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light and fluffy. Temper the eggs by adding 1/4 of the warmed liquid, whisking constantly. Add the lightened eggs back to the saucepan, and cook until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes.
Strain the ice cream base through a coarse sieve to remove any lumps, and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a resealable container and cool completely. Churn ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions, and freeze.
I first had this ice cream on the street outside of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Creme Fraiche gives the ice cream a tangy, sour flavor, as well as a rich airiness. In the United States, creme fraiche is somewhat hard to come by - if none is available to you, just substitute sour cream. If using sour cream, strain off some of the liquid in a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Reserve the egg whites from this recipe for use in Chocolate Chip Meringues.
Serves 4-6