Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
This homemade Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe is made with a cheesecake ice cream base and swirled with an easy blueberry pie filling. Add in some sprinkled graham crackers and you’ve got yourself one of the best desserts of summer!
Servings: 5 -6 Cups (a little over a quart of ice cream)
Equipment
- Ice Cream Machine
Ingredients
Blueberry Pie Filling
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp water
Cheesecake Ice Cream
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 1/2 cups half & half
- 1 cup milk (I used 2%; whole milk works as well)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lemon zest (optional; it brightens the flavor of the ice cream)
- 2 tsp lemon juice, fresh (optional; it brightens the flavor the ice cream)
Graham Crackers
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Instructions
Blueberry Pie Filling
- Whisk lemon juice, water and cornstarch together. Pour into the blueberries and mix until combined.
- In a small saucepan, mix 1 cup of blueberries, sugar and the cornstarch mixture together.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over med-low heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries into the mixture and cook on low for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Allow the blueberry filling to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract and lemon zest & lemon juice together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine half & half and milk in a medium-large saucepan; bring the mixture to a boil over med heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once boiling, remove from the heat.
- Stir 1/2 cup of the half & half and milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture, whisking until everything is combined (this tempers the eggs in the cream cheese mixture).
- Stir the rest of the half & half and milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture, whisking until everything is combined.
- Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over med-low heat for about 6-7 minutes (stirring constantly), or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- Place pan in a large bowl of ice for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (this helps cool the mixture down quickly).*
- Once the custard mixture has cooled down to about room temperature, pour into a bowl, cover the custard with plastic wrap (making sure the plastic wrap is pressed onto the surface of the custard). Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until cold.
- Once the custard is cold, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions (mine took about 15-20 minutes to churn).
- In your freezer safe ice cream container (I used a 9x5 bread loaf pan), pour in half of the cheesecake ice cream and spread in an even layer.
- Dollop half of the blueberry filling over the cheesecake ice cream. Using a knife, gently swirl the ice cream with the blueberry filling. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs over the top.
- Pour the remaining cheesecake ice cream over the top and spread in an even layer. Dollop the remaining blueberry filling on top, and swirl. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of graham crackers on top.
- For soft serve, freeze for about 2-3 hours; for true ice cream, freeze for at least 5-6 hours, or overnight.
- Scoop and serve!
Notes
*Note
You can allow the mixture to cool on its own to room temperature. It will probably take about 20-30 minutes or so (and don’t forget to whisk occasionally). Basically, you want the custard to come to room temperature before refrigerating.
You can allow the mixture to cool on its own to room temperature. It will probably take about 20-30 minutes or so (and don’t forget to whisk occasionally). Basically, you want the custard to come to room temperature before refrigerating.