Churned Vanilla Cheesecake Custard Ice Cream
Vanilla Cheesecake Custard Ice Cream
Cream cheese gives this churned vanilla ice cream the gentle tang and dense body associated with cheesecake. An egg-yolk custard creates a smooth base, and a short chill before churning lets the mixture freeze evenly. This is a custard-style formula, not a frozen-yogurt or no-churn dessert.
Recipe details
- Yield: 1 quart, 8 half-cup servings
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Chill: at least 4 hours
- Churn/freeze: 20–25 minutes, then 3 hours
- Equipment: ice-cream maker with frozen bowl, saucepan, whisk, heatproof bowl, fine-mesh sieve, instant-read thermometer, covered freezer container
Ingredients
- 4 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Method
- Whisk cream cheese in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl.
- Combine milk, cream, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring, until steaming and the sugar dissolves; do not boil.
- Whisk yolks with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Slowly whisk in 1 cup hot milk mixture. Pour the tempered yolks into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the corners, until the custard lightly coats the spatula and reaches 170–175°F. Do not let it boil.
- Immediately strain over the cream cheese and whisk smooth. Add vanilla. Set the bowl in an ice bath, stir until cool, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Churn according to the machine instructions, 20–25 minutes, until it resembles thick soft-serve. Transfer to the container, press parchment on the surface, cover, and freeze about 3 hours until scoopable.
Functions, cues, and troubleshooting
Yolks emulsify fat and water, sugar lowers the freezing point, and cream cheese supplies both solids and acidity. The custard is ready when a finger drawn across the coated spatula leaves a clean path. Grainy flecks indicate overheated egg; strain immediately. If the base does not thicken, verify the temperature rather than raising the burner sharply.
A fully frozen machine bowl should not slosh. A warm base or underfrozen bowl produces thin churned cream; chill both completely. If the finished ice cream is very firm, soften it in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes rather than on a warm counter.
Substitutions, storage, and safety
Neufchâtel can replace full-fat cream cheese by weight, with a slightly icier result. Vanilla bean paste may replace extract teaspoon for teaspoon. Spreadable tub cheese and nonfat cream cheese contain different water and stabilizer levels and are not direct substitutes. Keep raw yolks refrigerated, prevent shell contact with the contents, and heat the custard to the stated range. Freeze covered for up to 2 weeks. Do not refreeze melted ice cream; discard it after more than 2 hours above 40°F.
