Method

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, then whisk the yolks with the sugar, in a large bowl, until the sugar has dissolved to make a thick, creamy mixture.
In a large saucepan, combine the milk and cream, whisking constantly while heating on low.
Add the seeds from the vanilla pods into the milk and cream mix and stir well, then throw in the entire pod. This will help to infuse additional flavour into the caramel ice cream and will be removed later on in the process.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it begins to boil, quickly reduce the heat and simmer on low for around 10 minutes, still stirring occasionally.
After ten minutes, quickly remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl, over an ice-bath. The temperature needs to be brought down to 60ºC. If you don’t have a thermometer, then it needs to be cool enough to dip a clean finger in for 3-4 seconds and withstand the heat.
When ready, stir the egg and sugar mixture into the cream mixture, then heat gently again to at least 70ºC and simmer, but not boil, for around 10 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Without a thermometer, you can test that your ice cream has reached the right heat and consistency when by dipping a spoon into the mixture. It should coat the back of the spoon, without easily sliding off.
Set the mixture aside to cool down. Transfer to the largest bowl possible and remove the vanilla pods. Using a bowl with a large surface area will help the mixture to cool faster.
You can leave the mixture to chill overnight in the fridge to further infuse the vanilla flavour, before removing the pods, if preferred.
Place the caramel ice cream in the freezer for 45 minutes and then remove it and fold to agitate the ice crystals.
Return to the freezer for another 45 minutes, then mix again. If the mixture hasn’t hardened too much, put it back in the freezer for a final 45 minutes.
Finally, transfer to a freezer-safe container, such as an ice cream tub or a bread loaf tin, and freeze for around 1 hour. It’s best to cover with a layer of plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn.
Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the ice cream to soften just a bit, then enjoy.

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