Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Treat yourself.

Treat. Yo. Self.

 

Extravagant? Yes. Unnecessary? Probably. Did I go there? Youuu betcha.

I’ll let you in on a secret, though– it’s totally worth it. The ice cream recipe is adapted from Leslie Newman‘s Once-a-Year Cheesecake Ice Cream and Leslie, kudos for your restraint.

I’d say I’m more a Once-a-Quarter gal. Treat yourself often.

Life is short, and besides, you deserve it!

The ice cream itself is rich and creamy (I mean, the three main ingredients are cream), but the blueberries add just the right amount of balance.

Also, layer the ice cream as you choose! I probably used about 2/3 of the blueberry sauce, but mix and layer to your desire. That’s what treat yourself is about.

Just don’t be sad when it’s all gone.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, cold but softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Blueberry Sauce

2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

a splash of vanilla extract

Graham Cracker Crumble

4 grahams

1 tbsp melted butter, unsalted

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, take slightly softened cream cheese and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time and beat until just incorporated. Add sour cream and heavy cream and beat at medium speed, again until just incorporated. Add kosher salt, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

Take the bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours, or until the mixture is very cold. While it chills, cook up the blueberry sauce. Take 2 cups of washed blueberries and combine in a medium saucepan with water, sugar, lemon juice, cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Cook over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool before covering and refrigerating, again until very cold.

Take your graham crackers and pulse to fine crumbs in a food processor. Slowly add melted butter, continuing to pulse as you pour it in. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a zip lock bag and smash them to crumbs before adding butter.

Once everything is chilled, take your mixer bowl and refit with whisk attachment. Mix the ice cream base on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is loosened and creamy. Pour the base into your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Once done, alternate layering ice cream, blueberry sauce and graham crackers to taste (I used about 2/3 of my blueberry sauce, but do what you feel!). Refreeze for four hours to make it really firm, or enjoy immediately!

Time

1 hour active, 2+ hours inactive

Ice Cream Sammies

Don’t worry…I didn’t roll anything in bacon this time.

But it did cross my mind.

Enough about bacon. In earnest, there are tell tale signs that summer is fast approaching.

1.  Humidity- we covered this one. I won’t keep complaining.

2. Tourists- so many in DC, and all on the Metro.

3. Television- All the best shows are ending. This may actually be a good thing (I loath thee Game of Thrones!)

4. Vacation- Is two short weeks away! Not that anyone is counting.

So for your ode to summer enjoyment, have an ice cream sandwich.

They’re jam packed with summer nostalgia (also known as vanilla ice cream).

Summer is just better with ice cream sandwiches. To keep you on your toes, I made mine with oatmeal cookies, and they were mighty fine.

Since I was so diligent in my cookie making, I cheated and used store-bought ice cream.

Decreased production time= increased sandwich consumption time.

Besides, it’s summer, take a break.

For maximum enjoyment, assemble, wrap, freeze, and enjoy on a hot summer day.

 

Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches, adapted from Quaker

Makes about 10 sandwiches

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 3/4 cup oats (I used old fashioned)

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1 pint vanilla ice cream

additional sprinkles, chocolate chips and walnuts for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In stand mixer, combine butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add in eggs and vanilla and slowly mix until just incorporated.

In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add in thirds to your mixer and beat until combined. Add in oats one cup at a time, along with walnuts and chocolate chips. When fully combined, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 2-3 inches apart.

Cook at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes. Remove cookies and cool to room temperature.

Next, grab your ice cream and spoon between cookies. Smooth ice cream around the edges and roll in your favorite toppings. Wrap sandwiches individually in plastic wrap and refreeze.

Time

1 hour

Caramelized Banana Ice Cream

This ice cream is B-A-N-A-N…ugh, sorry. You guys are better than that. Feel free to stop reading now. MAKE THE ICE CREAM!

Somewhere in the depths of your kitchen there are bananas. Unlike a fine wine, they don’t get better with age.

You neglect them, and when you realize they’re just a little too ripe, you think “I’ll make banana bread!” So you keep your rotten bananas and when you find time to bake, you decide that that trip to Nordstrom Rack is just a little more important. For shame.

(Note: bears no resemblance to the actions of those affiliated with Eat Cake for Breakfast. Or not.)

P.S. look at my manicure! This lasted about another two hours.

But back to the bananas. Next time you find your ‘nanners expired, save them for this ice cream! The idea is the same as banana bread– the overly-ripe bananas really bring out extra flavor.

One extra side note: takeout containers are great for storing ice cream. They fit one quart perfectly. Looks like Thai for dinner!

This recipe comes, once again, from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones, the Bi-Rite Creamery’s brilliant book. The bananas and brown sugar, along with the vanilla and (optional) bourbon create a taste similar to Banana’s Foster, just without the pyrotechnics. One of my favorites to date!

Caramelized Banana Ice Cream

Yields 1 quart

Ingredients

5 egg yolks

2 very ripe bananas, sans peels

1/2 packed light brown sugar (dark is fine, too)

1 3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup 1% or 2% milk

1/4 tsp kosher salt

pinch of cinnamon

1 tsp bourbon (rum works too, but I had bourbon on hand)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Separate 5 eggs, mix together yolks and set aside. Peel your bananas and add to a medium saucepan with brown sugar over medium heat. Mash them together as the mixture heats and begins to liquefy. Stir constantly as the mixture starts to bubble and turns a golden brown color. This will take 5-7 minutes.

Remove from heat and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat heavy cream, milk, salt and cinnamon over medium-high heat until it just starts to simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Slowly pour half a cup of your hot milk mixture into your egg yolks, whisking constantly. You want to temper your eggs so they cook without scrambling. Add another half cup while still whisking.

Take your egg-milk mixture and pour it back into your saucepan, stirring it constantly over medium heat. Continue to stir for another 2 minutes until your finger can draw a clear path across the back of a spatula coated with the mixture.

Strain through a mesh strainer into a clean bowl and place on top of an ice bath so it cools to room temperature. Stir occasionally.

Once cooled, whisk in your pureed banana mixture and let refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight. Before dumping into your ice cream machine, add your bourbon and vanilla and churn/freeze according to instructions. Enjoy your ice cream right then, or put it back in the freezer for a few hours to firm up. Good for a week after, unlike your rotten bananas.

Time

1 hour for base, plus chilling and churning time

Chocolate Ice Cream

I gave a lot of thought to how best to start this blog. Something flashy, decadent, and remarkable immediately came to mind. Triple tiered macaroons or creme brulee- something to blow you away! (sorry, no more rhyming)

However, the more I thought about it, the more chocolate ice cream seemed like the perfect beginning. An ice cream from humble beginnings that has made it’s way into the hearts of the people. Just add sprinkles and enjoy. Conveniently, it’s also my husband’s favorite.

Given the increasing outcry for fewer processed foods in our daily diets, I like to think of homemade ice cream as my contribution. Remove chemicals, insert heavy cream. There, don’t you feel better?

This recipe is adapted from Sweet Creams and Sugar Cones, a book from the Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco, and might I add my favorite Christmas present. My work hiatus between Christmas and New Year’s is being spent with a healthy amount of cooking/baking, and a healthy amount of gym time to combat the heavy cream.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 cup 1% milk

1 3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Separate egg yolks into bowl and add half your sugar. Whisk together and save for later.

In a saucepan, combine the rest of your sugar, cocoa powder and 1/4-1/2 cup milk. Whisk it together until smooth (no cocoa powder lumps remain), then add the rest of your milk, heavy cream and salt. Put the pan on medium-high heat and when it just begins to simmer, reduce to medium.

Take a scoop of your milk/cream mixture and pour into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly (otherwise, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs). Add another scoop and continue to stir. Then take your egg mixture and pour it back into your saucepan, stirring constantly with your spatula.

Continue to cook over medium heat. When you can run your finger down the coated spatula and it holds a clear line, you’re ready to go. Remove the mixture from heat and pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl.

Cool your bowl with an ice bath and once it hits room temp, cover and chill for at least two hours. Once chilled, add the vanilla base (don’t almost forget it like I did!) and freeze in your ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. After that, you can either enjoy or put it back in the freezer to firm up.

Good for one week, but will it really last that long?

Time

1 hour for base, plus chilling and churning time