There are a few things to be cautious about. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against using raw, undercooked eggs, citing salmonella risks.
The FDA recommends a recipe from the American Egg Board. In this recipe, the eggs are heated to 160 degrees to kill potential germs. Germs aside, it's an easy, adaptable, custard-style vanilla ice cream recipe with several variations, like banana-nut, cherry, chocolate and plum -- no bacon, human breast milk or liquid nitrogen needed.
The top five flavors of ice cream in the U.S.
1. Vanilla
2. Chocolate
3. Butter pecan
4. Strawberry
5. Mint chocolate chip
-- Source: International Dairy Foods Association, www.idfa.org.
Frozen custard ice cream
6 eggs
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Crushed ice
Rock salt
In medium saucepan, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, honey and salt.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches at least 160 degrees on a kitchen thermometer and is thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film.
Cool quickly by setting the pan in ice or cold water and stirring for a few minutes. Cover and thoroughly chill, at least 1 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 6 parts ice to 1 part rock salt.
Transfer to freezer containers and freeze until firm.
Yields 1 1/2 to 2 quarts.
-- Source: American Egg Board, www.aeb.org
Variations
Banana Nut
Reduce vanilla to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Cook and cool as above.
Stir in 3 large, ripe, mashed bananas and 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans.
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, puréed, dark, fresh, sweet cherries or 1 can (16 to 17 ounces) pitted, dark, sweet cherries, drained and chopped.
Complete freezing.
Chocolate
Add 3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate to egg-milk mixture when heating.
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, puréed, ripe, fresh plums.
Complete freezing.
Strawberry
Omit vanilla.
Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze.
Add 2 cups sweetened, crushed, fresh strawberries.
Complete freezing.
