Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

1 Mexican vanilla bean, split
1 cup half and half
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon pure Mexican vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly ground canela (Ceylon cinnamon)

Preparation:

Scrape the seeds from the split vanilla bean. Place the vanilla bean
and seeds, half and half, heavy cream and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan
and gently warm over a low flame until the sugar has dissolved.

Place the egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl and beat
(electric mixer or by hand with a whisk) until the mixture thickens
and turns pale yellow.

Add about 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture to the egg yolk mixture
and beat until blended. Gradually add the rest of the warm cream
mixture to the egg yolks, beating as you do so.

Return the custard to the saucepan and gently cook until it thickens
to the coats-the-spoon stage. Don't hurry this step. Stir constantly
over a low flame, taking care not to curdle the mixture.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Remove the vanilla bean,
scrape out the pods and add to the strained custard and stir until
well blended. Add additional extract to taste and the canela. Chill
until very cold.

Continue the final process of making the ice cream according to the
manufacturer’s instructions of your ice cream maker.