Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

 
I made this yummy frozen concoction for dessert at the Black Family gathering on Sunday. I'm afraid that I forgot to take any pictures, so these ones "borrowed" from the internet will have to do. But rest assured that they are incredibly close to the real thing. As I was in the process of making ice cream, Michael's dad asked me if I had ever made ice cream before meeting Michael. I said, "I've seen it done and helped with it before, but no, I definitely have not made as MUCH ice cream before Michael came into my life!" Basically what that translates into is that Michael and his family LOVE ice cream. 

Every time we visit, Michael opens the freezer to see what new ice cream his parents have that week. And they buy the good stuff too. So we have to be extra careful when we frequent their house or else we'll eat an entire carton during our stay. Because we just love it so much.

I could eat it everyday, even during the winter when it's cold and snowy outside. There's just something about the sweetness and creamy texture that causes cravings at all times of year, and hours of the night. Personally, I'm a fan of basic flavors, such as vanilla or sweet cream, mixed with fruit or something chocolate-y. So that's why I decided to make Cheesecake as the base flavor. Michael's mother had a bunch of blueberries in her freezer, and so Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream emerged. It was a success and everybody loved it. 

I think this is the perfect ice cream to make at this time of year, when berries and other fresh fruits are at their peak. The cheesecake flavor pairs incredibly well with the tartness of the berries and sort of "mellows" them out. It's a brilliant combination! I'm sure you will love it as much as I did!

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
(cheesecake ice cream recipe adapted from Tartelette)

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
8 oz. cream cheese
6 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)

Directions:

1. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. In a saucepan set on medium heat, bring the milk and the cream to boiling point, slowly pour a small amount on the egg yolks to temper. Pour the remaining over the yolks and sugar. 
2. Stir well then pour back in the saucepan and cook over medium low heat until the cream thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. 
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until completely melted and incorporated. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate until cold. 
4. Process in an ice cream maker until it has reached soft-serve stage and almost doubled in size. 
5. Mash blueberries lightly, then mix in with ice cream and place in the freezer to harden, which will take about 2 hours. Serve in bowls or ice cream cones and enjoy! 

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts