Description
This strawberry cheesecake ice cream is rich and decadent, pairing zingy sweet fruit with creamy vanilla and graham cracker chunks!
Ingredients
Scale
For the ice cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 whole graham crackers, chopped
For the strawberry sauce (or substitute 2/3 cup purchased strawberry jam)
- 2 cups diced strawberries (3/4 pound)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Note: Make sure to freeze the base of your ice cream maker overnight before making this recipe.
- Soften the cream cheese by placing it on a plate and microwaving for 10 seconds per side. Place the cream cheese in a large metal bowl and cut into a few pieces.
- In a medium saucepan, slowly whisk the cornstarch into 1 cup whole milk, then whisk in the sugar. Apply medium heat and heat for 4 to 6 minutes, whisking frequently, until it just starts to bubble and the mixture thickens.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it over the cream cheese. Whisk vigorously until it is fully smooth (it will start out chunky). Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup whole milk, heavy cream, salt and vanilla extract.
- Place the bowl with the custard in a smaller bowl of ice water for 1 hour, making sure not to splash any water into the ice cream. Alternatively, simply place the bowl in the refrigerator and wait for 3 to 4 hours or until the temperature drops to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, make the strawberry sauce (or make it ahead): Clean, hull and dice the strawberries. Add them to a medium saucepan with sugar, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally while it bubbles gently. Cook about 9 to 10 minutes, until all the berries are cooked down. Immediately transfer to a medium bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool (we recommend first placing it in the freezer for about 10 minutes to speed up the cooling process.)
- Churn according to your ice cream maker instructions, about 25 minutes for soft serve consistency. Transfer half the ice cream to a loaf pan or freezer container, add a layer of chopped graham crackers and strawberry sauce, then top with the remaining half and more graham crackers and strawberry sauce. Insert a butter knife vertically into the pan and draw an S pattern through the ice cream a few times to distribute the graham crackers and fruit. Freeze in the freezer for at least 2 hours (or up to 4 hours). Store in a loaf pan with a parchment sheet over the top or a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. Allow the pan to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian