Vanilla ice cream is a favorite of everyone from toddlers taking their first delicious lick to foodies reveling in its sophisticated, nuanced taste. Our keto-friendly version pairs heavy cream, almond milk, and egg yolks in a custard made without added sugar yet just as sweet and satisfying as any traditional ice cream (thanks, Baking Sugar Alternative!). We use two types of vanilla here to bring its delicate flavor front and center.
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Freeze the work bowl of an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Place 10 tablespoons (142g) of the almond milk and all the cream in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
While the milk mixture is heating, in a large heatproof bowl whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons (28g) almond milk, egg yolks, sugar alternative, xanthan gum, and salt.
Gradually whisk in about half the hot milk/cream mixture.
Transfer the warmed yolk/milk mixture (custard) to the remaining hot milk/cream in the saucepan. Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring the custard constantly, until it thickens somewhat; it'll be approaching the thickness of heavy cream and will register between 170°F and 180°F on a digital thermometer.
Remove from the heat, strain into a heatproof bowl and stir in the vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract.
Cool the custard to room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.
Stir the vodka into the chilled custard and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Transfer the ice cream to a container with an airtight lid and freeze for at least four hours before serving.
Store, tightly covered, in the freezer for up to three months.
Tips from our Bakers
This recipe was developed using King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative. Using another sugar replacement or alternative, one with a different formulation, will yield different results. For best success, use the specific product called for: King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative.
The liqueur or vodka keeps your ice cream/sorbet soft enough to scoop right out of the freezer. Want to leave out the alcohol? Go right ahead; your ice cream/sorbet will freeze rock-hard, so make sure to remove it from the freezer 20 minutes or so before serving, to soften.
This recipe yields 3 cups of ice cream, and it can easily be increased if you’d like to make more. Simply multiply each ingredient by 1.5 to yield about 4 1/2 cups ice cream or double each ingredient to yield 6 cups – just be sure that if using an ice cream maker, it can accommodate the larger size.
