Macerate the Strawberries: In a mixing bowl, toss the diced strawberries with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Set this aside for about 30 minutes to let the berries soak up that sweet goodness and release their juices.

Prepare the Cream Mix: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of heavy cream, 1 cup of whole milk, and 1/2 cup of sugar over medium heat. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and the pod into the cream mixture. Heat this until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.

Temper the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the 4 large egg yolks until they’re a pale yellow. Gradually add a few spoonfuls of the warm cream mixture to the yolks while whisking to temper them. This prevents the eggs from scrambling!

Thicken the Mixture: Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.

Cool and Combine: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool slightly before removing the vanilla pod. Stir in the 1 tsp of vanilla extract.

Mix in Strawberries: Once the mixture is fully cooled, combine the macerated strawberries (juice included) with the cream mixture. Stir well!

Chill the Mixture: Transfer to a container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight if you can wait.

Churn It Up!: Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

Freeze & Enjoy: Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container, freeze until firm, and then serve it up in your favorite bowls or cones!