Prepare the ice cream maker by chilling the bowl as per the manufacturer's instructions, ideally for 24 hours or as recommended. If adjustable, set the freezer temperature to at least -0.4 °F.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Using a knife, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add both the seeds and the pod to the milk mixture.

Heat the milk over medium heat until it starts to steam. Avoid boiling.

Once steaming, cover the saucepan and remove it from the heat. Let the vanilla bean steep in the milk mixture for 1 hour.

Place the heavy cream into a large bowl and set a fine-mesh sieve over it.

In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until the mixture is well blended and lighter in color.

If necessary, reheat the milk mixture until it is warm. Gradually add the warm milk to the egg yolks while whisking continuously. Then, return this mixture to the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches about 170 °F. This process takes about 3-7 minutes. Be cautious not to overheat.

Strain the custard into the heavy cream to remove any coagulated bits. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Chill the mixture (including the vanilla bean) in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Pour the chilled mixture into the fully frozen ice cream bowl and churn according to the manufacturer's directions. The ice cream will be soft-serve consistency directly from the machine.

Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4-8 hours to firm up. The ice cream remains scoopable even after overnight freezing.

Can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.