Vanilla ice cream is a great way to test out a base recipe for ice cream. This one uses a higher ratio of dairy to eggs, and resulted in a slightly icier texture than I’d like.

Ice cream is funny – it needs just enough fat for a smooth, creamy texture, but if it has too much it’s like eating straight butter. The flavor for this base is good – clean vanilla (I used vanilla paste instead of a bean).

One reason I was curious about this recipe is that the cream is added just before the base goes into the ice cream maker. I suppose this results in a cleaner cream flavor since it’s not cooked, but I’m not sure it’s worth the extra step. To get the recipe, check out Leite’s Culinaria.

• Rich Vanilla Ice Cream (A Country Cook’s Kitchen, p. 96)