4 cups fat free half-&-half
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch salt
Combine 3-1/2 cups of fat free half & half with sugar and pinch salt in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium whisking/stirring often until steaming hot but not quite boiling. Do not let boil.
In a medium sized bowl whisk 1/2 cup remaining half & half with cornstarch until blended. Whisk in egg yolks until mixture is smooth and set aside.
When half & half is steaming remove from heat and take approximately 1 cup of hot liquid from saucepan. Whisking continuously, slowly pour hot half & half into cornstarch/egg yolk mixture until blended. When smooth, whisk egg yolk mixture into saucepan with hot half & half.
Whisking constantly over medium heat continue to cook custard until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Custard is done if a line remains when finger is drawn across back of coated spoon. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and food coloring if using and strain mixture into a clean bowl. Cover and cool custard thoroughly before freezing.
Transfer vanilla custard mixture to and ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacture’s directions.
Yield: about 4 cups or 8 half cup servings at approximately 167 calories; 0.5 gram total fat; 0.2 gram saturated fat; 27 milligrams cholesterol; 32.5 grams carbohydrate; 0 dietary fiber; 2.9 grams protein; 140 milligrams sodium.