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1
Strip the cut-open coconut half of its fresh meat.
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2
(You can extract it with a small paring knife, but be careful not to cut yourself.)
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3
Grate the coconut meat with a cheese grater or microplaner.
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4
(Watch out the knuckles!)
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5
Set aside.
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6
Pour the coconut milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream, sugar, and salt into a medium saucepan.
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7
Add the grated coconut meat.
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8
Bring this mixture to a small simmer, not a boil.
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9
As the mixture is coming to heat, cut a long line down the middle of the vanilla bean, lengthwise.
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10
Scrape all the seeds into the creamy mixture, and then throw in the spent pod, as well.
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11
Let it all come to a simmer together, and then take it off the heat.
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12
Allow this to steep at room temperature for at least one hour.
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13
Find another medium saucepan in the cupboard and put that in the stove.
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14
Fish around for a fine-mesh sieve, next.
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15
Pour the steeped liquid through the sieve into the new saucepan.
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16
Press down on the coconut and vanilla bean pieces to squeeze out all the flavor you can.
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17
Turn toward the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl.
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18
Whisk together the egg yolks.
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19
Pour the warm coconut-cream mixture into the eggs, making sure that you whisk constantly.
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20
(This may seem like it requires more pairs of hands than you have, but you can do it.)
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21
Push this new mixture into the saucepan.
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22
Turn up the heat again -- no higher than medium -- and warm the custard, stirring with a rubber spatula.
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23
Be sure to stir the bottom as well.
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24
When the custard coats the back of the spatula, it is done.
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25
Pour the custard through the fine-mesh sieve into the remaining cup of heavy cream.
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26
Stir it all up.
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27
Leave the custard out to cool for a few moments, and then place it in the refrigerator.
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28
When the custard has completely chilled, turn it into ice cream in your ice cream maker.
