What I was Cooking.

Some of you commented on my cooking in a white dress. Well, that's pretty normal, although when I'm cooking messier foods, I wear an apron. Remember, I'm the girly-girl who hasn't worn pants since August of 1983.

So, what was I making on a hot summer afternoon while wearing a white dress?

FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM

1-1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2" vanilla bean
2 tbsp butter
2 egg whites
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar

Heat the milk and cream in a sauce pan until it just simmers. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks until well combined, then add the sugar, cornstarch and salt; beat until thick and very light yellow in color. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the black powder inside it into the egg yolks, and beat a minute more. Put the outside of the bean into the simmering milk. Pour a little of the hot milk into the egg yolks with the mixer running at low speed, then return the pan to the stove, add all of the egg yolk mixture, and heat to a simmer; cook until it thickens somewhat. Stir in the butter, and chill for a few hours.

Beat the egg whites with 1 tbsp sugar until stiff peaks form. Whip the remaining cup of cream with the vanilla extract and 1 tbsp of sugar. Set both aside in the refrigerator until the custard is cooled.

When the custard is cooled, put the whipped cream and egg whites into the bowl of your ice cream maker, turn it on, pour in the custard base as it's running, and process according to the manufacturer's directions. If you don't have an ice cream maker, use a whisk to stir the egg whites and whipping cream, in that order, into the custard base, then freeze for several hours, stirring about once an hour until it firms up.

The egg whites keep this a little softer than most homemade ice cream, and it has a lot of flavor. I assure you that this will be reappearing in my freezer soon!