With a fork, lightly beat egg yolks in a spouted measuring cup.

In a medium saucepan, combine whipping cream, buttermilk, granulated sugar, and sea salt. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves.

Pour a small amount of hot cream into the beaten egg yolks.

Continue tempering hot into cold, a few splashes at a time, stirring well after each addition, until you’ve added about half of the hot cream.

Pour tempered mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly, about 5-7 minutes.

Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla bean paste and vodka, if using.

Pour into a bowl. Cool 5-10 minutes, or until mixture stops steaming. Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours, or overnight.

Whisk chilled base briskly to recombine. Pour into frozen ice cream maker, with bowl frozen according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Churn until thick and creamy, about 15-20 minutes. The consistency will resemble soft serve ice cream.

With a flexible rubber spatula, scoop ice cream into a freezer-safe container.

Freeze 2-4 hours, or until ice cream reaches scoopable consistency.

Store homemade ice cream in the freezer for up to one month. For a scoopable consistency, allow to stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes prior to serving.