Heat the cream, milk, half the sugar, salt, and the vanilla bean (with seeds) in the saucepan. Stir gently over medium heat. I stop once it almost simmers—it should steam and feel warm, but not come to a boil.

In a mixing bowl, I whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until they pale slightly and feel smooth.

I pour a small amount of the warm cream into the yolks while whisking, then return the egg mixture to the saucepan. This keeps the yolks from scrambling.

I stir slowly over low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula. It takes about five minutes. I stop right before it boils.

I remove it from heat and discard the vanilla bean pod. I strain the custard through the sieve into a clean bowl, cover it, and let it chill in the fridge for at least four hours—or overnight, to deepen the flavor and texture.

Once cold, I pour the custard into my ice cream maker and churn according to its instructions. If I lack a machine, I freeze the mixture in a bowl and whisk it every 30 minutes to break up ice crystals.

I transfer the soft churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, close the lid, and freeze until it’s firm—usually two more hours.