25 Degrees' vanilla ice cream

Servings: 4

Note: From 25 Degrees in

Hollywood.

1 quart half-and-half

1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise, seeds scraped

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

12 egg yolks

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half with the vanilla bean and seeds over medium heat until just simmering.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until the mixture turns a pale lemon color. Slowly whisk the warm half-and-half into the egg yolk mixture. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Strain the mixture into a bowl, discarding the vanilla bean, and cool in an ice bath. Chill until cold. Process in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions, spoon into a container and place in freezer.

Each serving: 642 calories; 15 grams protein; 56 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 41 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 703 mg. cholesterol; 122 mg. sodium.