Cookies & Cream Ice Cream

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and the scraped seeds along with the pod of the vanilla bean. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer, then remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor.
2. While the milk mixture is steeping, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and fine sea salt in a separate bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
3. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the milk mixture. Gradually pour a small amount of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
4. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, reaching about 170°F to 175°F (77°C to 79°C). Do not let it boil.
5. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Stir in the pure vanilla extract.
6. Cover the custard base with plastic wrap pressed directly on its surface and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.
7. Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
8. Fold in the coarsely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies evenly throughout the ice cream.
9. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours to firm up before serving.