Ingredients

2 cups whole milk 

1 cup heavy cream 

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved 

5 large egg yolks 

1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Salt 

Preparation

Heat milk, cream, and vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around edges. Remove from heat, cover, and let cream mixture steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Prepare an ice-water bath. Uncover cream mixture, and reheat until hot but not boiling. Whisk yolks, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add hot cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until well combined. Return mixture to saucepan, and stir constantly over medium heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. (Do not let the mixture come to a simmer.)

Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard vanilla pod. Set the bowl in the ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.

Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to a large container, and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.