Up to 2 days, but no later than the day before, fill a bowl large enough to accommodate a 100ml container with ice. In a medium pan, combine the milk, cream and vanilla seeds and pods. Bring to just under a boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes tointensify the vanilla flavour. Reheat to just below a simmer and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, sugar and egg yolks until thick and pale yellow. (Don’t do this ahead – if the eggs and sugar sit together too long, the yolks will become grainy.) Very slowly add the warm milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture back into the pan over a low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 2-3 minutes, just until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of thespoon. If you draw a finger across the back of the spoon, it should leave a mark in the sauce with no drips. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a 100ml container and discard the vanilla pods. Put the container in the bowl of ice and allow to cool completely, stirring occasionally. Put in the fridge overnight.
The next day, remove from the fridge and churn in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a covered container and freeze for 4-6 hours, but preferably overnight, before serving. Keeps in the freezer for up to 2 days.
Recipes and photographs taken from French at Heart by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, photography by Anson Smart, (Abrams, £30)
