Naturally-Sweetened Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey, *see note below
• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise and scraped
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Place the KitchenAid(R) Ice Cream Maker Attachment into the freezer for at least 15 hours, preferably 24 hours. (You can store the bowl in the freezer so it's always ready to freeze some tasty treats!)
2. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the cream, milk, maple syrup or honey (*see note below) and vanilla bean pod and seeds. Continue to whisk, making sure that the mixture does not come to a boil; reduce heat if necessary.
3. In a small bowl, gently whisk the egg yolks. Then, slowly drizzle a half-cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while rapidly whisking. Pour the yolk mixture into the hot cream; whisking constantly to incorporate.
4. Using a wooden spoon, continue to stir the custard. It will begin to get steamy and foamy as you stir it, but do not allow it to boil. Once the custard begins to thicken slightly and coats the back of the spoon, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl and pour the custard through the strainer in order to remove the vanilla bean pods and any cooked egg yolk bits.
6. Cover and refrigerate the custard until completely cold (at least 8-10 hours; preferably overnight). Once the custard is cold, you may wish to place it in the freezer, making sure to stir it every 5 minutes or so just until the edges begin to freeze a bit. (The colder the custard is, the faster and more uniform it will freeze.)
7. Assemble the KitchenAid(R) Ice Cream Maker Attachment in your KitchenAid(R) Stand Mixer, following the directions provided in the instruction manual. Then, slowly pour the cold custard into your frozen ice cream maker bowl and freeze the custard to desired consistency.
8. Once the custard is frozen, enjoy it immediately for a delicious soft-serve style treat. Or place it in a freezer-safe container and allow it to harden in the freezer for at least 3-4 hours. Then, scoop and serve with your favorite toppings.

heavy cream, milk, maple syrup, vanilla bean, egg yolks, vanilla

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Naturally-Sweetened-Vanilla-Bean-Ice-Cream-2098911 (may not work)