This weekend I have homemade fish-stick plans–or fish-finger plans, as I’ve been calling them since I ALWAYS fall into the “you-like-fishsticks?” trap (I always fall for this awful joke much to the delight of my husband and BFF…because we’re such adults and I’m SO DUMB). What do fish-fingers have to do with ice cream, you ask? Nothing. Aside from my fish-finger plans for the weekend, which I am weirdly excited about, I have ice cream eating plans…because it’s the weekend and um, ICE CREAM!
Plus, it’s this ice cream, which is ice cream+cheesecake+blueberries, all in one! This ice cream combines the flavor of tangy cream cheese with sweet, sweet maple, plus a fruity ripple of vanilla-scented blueberry sauce, and the requisite graham cracker crumbs…you know, to make it authentic. I mean, it’s Friday, the eve of the weekend, and we deserve a little frozen indulgence, don’t you think?
[recipe]
Blueberry Maple Cheesecake Ice Cream
Ice Cream Base adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home.
I made this recipe with Tonewood Maple Syrup*. You can read more about Tonewood here in my earlier post or on their website. As always, feel free to sub in your favorite syrup.
Ice Cream Base:
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
6oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups cream
2/3 cup maple
1/4 cup corn syrup
Blueberry Ripple:
2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Graham Layer:
1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed
Mix together about 2 tablespoons or so of the milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry, set aside. In a large, heatproof, mixing bowl whisk the cream cheese and salt together.
Prepare an ice bath in the basin of a clean sink or large bowl.
In a saucepan combine the remaining milk, cream, maple syrup, corn syrup, and cornstarch slurry. Heat to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until thickened, continue to boil for about 4 minutes and remove from the heat. Gradually whisk the mixture into the cream cheese until smooth and combined. Either stir the mixture over the prepared ice bath or pour it into a gallon-size, zip-top freezer bag, seal, and place in the ice bath until cooled. If the base is totally cooled you can process in the ice cream maker at this point. I like to let it chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before processing.
For the blueberry ripple:
In a saucepan combine the blueberries and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until the blueberries release their juices and soften. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice and cornstarch and stir into the blueberry mixture. Bring to a boil until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool completely before layering with the ice cream.
In a freezer-safe container layer about 1/3 of the processed ice cream base in the bottom and drizzle with 1/3 of the blueberry ripple, followed by a liberal sprinkling of graham crumbs, repeat with remaining ingredients, cover, and freeze for several hours before serving. If you have leftover ripple and crumbs, use them to top the ice cream when served. [/recipe]
*Tonewood kindly supplied me with the maple syrup used in this recipe. As always, all opinions are my own.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Oh this looks SO good! I mean those big berries are calling my name! pinned
cindy
Thanks, Averie!!
Erika
Oh my goodness.. Oh my goodness.This is everything.. can you feel my excitement.. Blueberries, maple syrup and cheesecake might be my favorite things ever and you put them all in ice cream.. It’s official, I loves ya boo!! 🙂
cindy
kisses emoji at you, girl!
Megan
This looks awesome and so prettttttty.
cindy
thanks, girl!!
becky | accooohtrements blog
ooh my! definitely pinning this to my ‘munchies’ board!
becky,
accooohtrements.wordpress.com
cindy
awesome!
Ileaan
My boyfriend would lose it if I made this. Looks sooo good!
cindy
Thanks, Ileana!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
Fish sticks (I mean, ahem, fish fingers ;)) and this ice cream sounds like the BEST WEEKEND EVER.
cindy
😀 obvi, I agree!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Oh my goodness, this looks so good!!
cindy
Thanks, Katrina!!
Billy
my heart is beating because of excitement over how much cream cheese is in there.
cindy
sometimes more is more, right?!
Crystal @ Food Swoon
Vanilla scented blueberries?! Beautiful <3
cindy
Thank you, Crystal!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit
OH MAN, all of this. Just yes. This. Let’s watch south park and eat this. Oh how we’ll laugh.
cindy
Um, YES. Let’s.
Laura Dembowski
This ice cream is perfection! The graham crumble takes it over the top.
Laura@Baking In Pyjamas
Pinned! I made a mini cheesecake and put it in the freezer this weekend, utter bliss. I’m now craving cheesecake Ice cream, I could easily reach through the screen with a spoon and steal some of yours, yum!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
Delicious ice cream! I need a few scoops of this ice cream! The blueberry ripple looks fantastic!
Nicole
This looks crazy good, Cindy! I haven’t seen South Park in FOREVER, but that episode sounds kind of amazing.
cindy
Thanks! and I mean…it parodies Kanye pretty spot on. Ha!
Tracy | Peanut Butter and Onion
OMG!, get out of my head… my 2 favorite flavors are blueberry and maple. I need this ice cream in my life
Shari @ Simply Shari's Gluten Free
I’ve been experimenting with ice cream and the use of xanthan gum. I love that this recipe uses cornstarch and corn syrup as an alternative. Though I am not big on corn syrup, I look forward to giving it a try. I bet it makes a fantastic, chewy texture. Thanks!
cindy
It does have a great chewy texture, which I love in ice cream. Not icy at all. I’m not huge on corn syrup either, I really only use it for ice cream making per the Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home method. However, I have used honey in place of corn syrup with great results…it’s something about the invert sugar that gives the ice cream great texture.
Kate @ Veggie Desserts
Reads post. Puts down laptop. Unfurls slipper-clad feet from under toasty blanket. Peeks out the curtains. Curses that it is still coooooold out.
I am DEFINITELY making this as soon as the sun puts his hat on and comes out.
cindy
I will be wishing for some spring sunshine for you!