Slow-Churned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Toasted Hazelnut Swirl

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-16 · Updated 2026-07-16

Rich and creamy ice cream made with real vanilla beans and folded with a crunchy toasted hazelnut ribbon for texture and flavor contrast. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, layers heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and the scraped seeds plus pod of 1 vanilla bean pod. Heat over medium heat until just simmering, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
2. Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks until pale and slightly thickened.
3. Step 3: Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
4. Step 4: Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 6-8 minutes.
5. Step 5: Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked egg bits, then cool to room temperature.
6. Step 6: Chill the custard in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Step 7: Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
8. Step 8: In the last 5 minutes of churning, drizzle in 2 tbsp honey and fold in 1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts.
9. Step 9: Transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving for a firm texture.