This vanilla ice cream is anything but boring with 3x the toastiness and all the same ingredients as the classic. That is: toasted milk, toasted sugar, and toasted vanilla bean. Yes, you can toast vanilla beans! It lends a smokier, dried fruit flavor reminiscent of raisins and figs.
This was originally a potluck item meant to accompany other desserts people were bringing (think pies, crumbles, and bars). So know that this ice cream not only holds its own but will make the best pie a la mode you’ve ever had.
There are some trickier techniques involved in this recipe, including a dry caramel and a cooked custard. They’re not inherently complicated, but they do require your full attention since just one minute may be the difference between the perfect golden caramel and a burnt mess. I know, my attention span is shrinking too, but better safe than sorry on this one. When in doubt, turn the heat down, give yourself plenty of time, and pay attention to sensory cues like texture, color, and smell.
What kind of ice cream machine did you use?
I’ve been using the same entry level ice cream machine at home for years and haven’t gone amiss yet. It’s the Cuisinart ICE21-P1, you can find it on Amazon here. If you want the Rolls Royce of countertop ice cream appliances the Musso Lussino 4080 has a built-in compressor that can quickly churn out flawless ice creams. Find my full list of ice cream making equipment linked here on my Amazon storefront.
Toasted Milk = Pastry MSG
If you take away one component from this recipe, it shouldn’t be toasted vanilla; it should be toasted milk powder. I originally learned about toasting milk powder from Chefsteps and have since incorporated it into cookies, crumbles, sauces, you name it. In recipes calling for a small quantity, I find it fastest to toast the milk powder in a dry saucepan. You can also toast it in the oven on a lined sheet tray at 300F . The sugars and proteins in the milk powder undergo the Maillard reaction as it toasts, taking on a golden hue to indicate its transformation.
I consider this the pastry equivalent of MSG, adding another dimension of flavor apart from salt and sugar. Much like how tomato paste has a concentrated, cooked tomato flavor, toasted milk powder has a concentrated browned butter flavor. I will caution that milk powder affects the hydration of your recipes and will no longer reconstitute well into milk, so adjust your recipes accordingly.
Skim milk powder has been an essential part of my ice cream base recipe since it absorbs water. Water freezes into ice crystals, so too much, and you’ll have a grainy result, but it’s still necessary for freezing. Therefore, adding milk powder results in a creamier, smoother final product with a pleasant chew. All that to say, milk powder is not optional, but I assure you it is much easier to find than specialized hydrocolloids. All conventional grocery stores should carry it in the US, or you can order it online from Amazon.
2026 Recipe Updates
The recipe has been updated to be easier, speedier, and to reflect feedback from the folks who gave this flavor a spin. The updated recipe is now less sweet with the same great texture, thanks to the addition of dextrose or corn syrup. This version also has slightly lower milk fat content (18% lowered to 15%), so it works better served on top of other desserts and won’t coat the palate so heavily.
Triple Toasted Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean sub 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and skip toasting
- 90 g granulated sugar split into 50g + 40g
- 350 mL heavy cream
- 325 mL whole milk
- 80g egg yolks from 4 large eggs
- 30 g dextrose powder sub 40g light corn syrup OR 40g granulated sugar
- 30 g skim milk powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1.5 grams
- 1 g locust bean gum optional, for texture
Instructions
- Tip the milk powder into a cold skillet and set over medium low heat. Cook until a golden brown graham cracker color, about 5 minutes. It’s normal for the milk powder to clump, so you’ll want to stir constantly to break up clumps and for even toasting. Once the desired color is reached, tip it out on to a plate to halt carry over cooking.
- Toast the vanilla bean with a pair of tongs over a medium gas flame or with a blowtorch. Pass the bean over the flame until it becomes fragrant and just starts to char. Look for it to puff up and become shiny when it’s done. This should only take a couple of minutes. Set aside to cool. If you don’t have a gas stove, you can also heat up a dry cast iron or sauté pan on high until ripping hot. Press the vanilla bean against the pan for maximum surface area contact.Use a paring knife to split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the back of the knife to scrape out the black flecks from inside the vanilla bean. Reserve both the vanilla pod and flecks.
- Add 40 g sugar, whole milk, dextrose powder, egg yolks, milk powder, vanilla flecks, salt, and locust bean gum (if using) to a blender. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and the egg yolks are fully dispersed. If using an immersion blender, skip this step and simply add the ingredients directly to the saucepan after combining the caramel and heavy cream. Blend directly in the pan (with the heat off) until smooth and egg yolks are fully dispersed.
- Set a saucepan (ideally at least 3 quarts/3.5L) over medium heat and add 50g sugar to the dry pan in an even layer. Do not stir or disturb the sugar; allow it to start melting around the edges. Once the mixture begins to melt, gently push the liquid sugar around the edges towards the center of the pan. Continue doing so until all the sugar is melted and becomes a golden brown color (again, looking for a graham cracker color).
- Slowly drizzle in heavy cream to halt further caramelization. Take caution: it will sputter and steam. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir with a spatula to dissolve. If small shards of caramel remain, don't fret, they will dissolve as the mixture continues to cook.
- Add in the blended egg yolk mixture and vanilla pods. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture reaches 180F, or until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
- Take the pan off heat and cover with a lid to steep for 20 minutes.
- Prepare an ice bath in a large container with equal parts ice and water. Transfer the cooked ice cream base to a heatproof container. Place heatproof container in the ice bath to cool. Once cool, cover and set in the fridge overnight, ideally at least 8 hours to develop body and flavor.
- Fish out and discard the spent vanilla pods. Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream machine and spin according to machine directions. The ice cream should be a soft-serve consistency when done. Transfer to an airtight container and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours to fully firm up. To serve, allow the ice cream to thaw slightly at room temperature for a few minutes for easier scooping.
Thank you so much chef for sharing
Thank you love 💕
Can thid be done without an icecream maker?
I haven’t tested without one. The ice cream maker is typically necessary to incorporate air into the mixture as it freezes otherwise it becomes too solid.
I’m in love with this recipe. I’m constantly going on about how the Maillard Reaction is my favourite reaction in the world and LOVE THIS because it is SUCH an inventive way to incorporate those delicious toasty, developed flavours BEYOND a salted/caramel ice cream. And they are all such easy ways to do it too, regardless of how “fancy” they might seem. I haven’t even churned it yet, I’ve just made the base and chucked it in the fridge because my kitchen is too warm to churn in unless the base and the bowl are fully chilled. Took a little taste and OH MY GOD. I don’t know how else to convince you to TRY THIS. It’s worth the small splurge for a ice cream maker OR EVEN doing it old school with 2 buckets, a bunch of ice, some salt and biceps of steel. I don’t need to wait for it to churn to know this is delicious.
P.S. to Mei specifically, I think you missed instructions on when to add the toasted milk powder! I made the executive decision to add it in before the 1 hr steep to give it as much time to reabsorb into the dairy mixture. But I could be wrong! Either way, it was a quick 10 secs of panicking and second guessing my reading ability lol 🙂
Thanks for writing this! I’m so happy that you’re also an advocate for finding more ways to incorporate the toasty flavors of the maillard reaction. Edited the recipe to fix that error.
Toasting the milk powder in a pan on the stove makes it easy to burn or toast unevenly. Spread the milk powder on a sheet pan and place in a 325 degree oven (165C) and roast, stirring frequently until I reaches the color you want.
Even better toast the powder in beurre noisette. Brown 300 grams of butter, and add 200 grams of milk powder, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and toasted. Added to baked goods it’s unbelievably delicious.
Thanks for sharing!
Hello!
This recipe looks amazing – I was just wondering if you think it would be possible to do it with vanilla bean paste instead of a vanilla bean? (I don’t have any) And if so, how would I go about toasting the paste?
Thanks so much!
Vanilla paste often has added sugar so it is likely to burn when toasting. If using paste I would simply skip toasting it and add it with the milk and cream.
Vanilla icecream is the only one i omit the milk powder. I put my egg yolks and sugar in a bliender until pale yellow.
The recipe turned out great! I used my ninja creami on the gelato setting and it was soooo good!
I would definitely recommend this recipe to try and I WILL be making it again!
Thank you Samantha! I’m so thrilled to hear it works with the Creami
Do you have a long form video on how to do this?
I don’t have a long form video, just a short form one on instagram
This is my new, go-to vanilla ice cream! I’ll admit I did end up using 1tbsp vanilla bean paste in place of the fresh vanilla pods but the flavor was still so perfect. I especially love the additions of the toasted milk powder and sugar, it really adds to the complexity.
Thank you for the feedback! So glad this earns the title of “go-to”. Vanilla bean paste is a clever alternative, definitely makes this more accessible on the regular.
Hii I have a quick question, if I want to omit the toasted sugar part just because I don’t like the caramel taste is that fine? Can I proceed as instructed without the toasting sugar part?
This recipe is SO GOOD! I made it yesterday and it’s already long gone. Plus, my mom has declared it her new favorite ice cream flavor, which is a WIN. Can’t wait to make it again! 🙂
The nuttiness that you get from toasting the milk powder is incredible. Pint didn’t last but a few hours. Fantastic ice cream seriously it’s the best and it was beyond easy to follow
I just bought an ice cream maker and decided on this recipe as my first ever homemade ice cream. The instructions are so well written that I had zero trouble with them. This is vanilla ice cream on steroids. It has such depth and complexity. Absolutely delicious and needs no toppings.
It tastes really good. I personally would reduce it by 40 gramm less sugar. Beside that, it tastes awesome!
Someone said this ice cream is vanilla on steroids and i 100% agree! i came from the apricot kernel ice cream recipe and once again i’m blown away by the depth of flavour of this recipe, easily better than anything i’ve bought before- amazing work 🙂 will be making bay leaf chip next, i can’t wait!!!
Yes!
Great flavor and texture! Didn’t have the fatty taste does recipes leave on the mouth
So grateful to hear both the flavor and texture worked well!
I fear…that this is the best ice cream I’ve ever had!!! I might also be riding the high of this being the first ice cream I’ve ever made, but I’m really glad it was this one 🙂 I also feel like I’ve spent my life avoiding buying a vanilla bean at all costs, but decided to buy my first one for this recipe and so happy I did!
The only semi-stressful points in the recipe were in making the liquid sugar and knowing how chilled my ice cream base should be. When I started pouring in the heavy cream and it formed a few small caramel chunks, I freaked out and started it all over twice (including an emergency trip to the grocery store for more heavy cream 😬. The last time I decided to just stick with it and the caramel chunks actually ended up dissolving and disappearing when the vanilla was steeping for the hour. But lesson learned on that 😅 and then I also wasn’t sure what temp my ice cream base should be at in the ice cream bath, so I think a temperature or consistency cue might be helpful there. Thank you so much for this recipe Mei!! Excited to start my ice cream journey 🙂
Hi Barbara, thank you for taking the time to leave feedback! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe. I’ve updated the recipe with reassurance about the caramel chunks, it’s definitely a bit of a “trust the process” moment. The purpose of using the ice bath is to quickly bring the ice cream base out of the food danger zone so you can transfer it to the refrigerator without warming up everything else in your fridge. It doesn’t need to be precise, I typically let it chill until cool to the touch, around 45 degrees F.
Just finished churning this ice cream, it’s such a rich wonderful recipe! I enjoyed the complex flavor that toasting adds to the final product. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I just finished churning and couldn’t stop tasting this the whole time. My partner before churning loved the taste of the custard so much he put some to flavor his yogurt. I used some very old vanilla beans but still worked great and I used 2 beans instead of one because I love the extra vanilla. Phenomenal. You could totally sell this or put this in a recipe book. I also really appreciate how accessible this recipe is. There’s no shortage of people suggesting to use gums and fillers to improve the texture of your ice cream, which isn’t a bad thing, but they can be hard to find. Thank you for creating and sharing this!
If I made again I’d probably add some butter to the pan with the milk powder so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Also I would maybe heat the milk first and pour in the caramelized sugar so that doesn’t harden/stick to the pan.
Hi, I want to know how I incorporate toasted milk powder in desserts. thanks
love the recipe and i added the toasted milk powder to the strawberry ice cream recipe
Straight up just sounds delicious
Creamiest ice cream I’ve ever tasted
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