Strawberry & Homemade Cheese Ice Cream
As I looked in my fridge and saw a full half gallon of Smith Creamery Milk ready to expire and a pint of overripe strawberries, I knew I had to do something fast. Combining my love for cheese and my ice cream maker, I decided to make a dessert would include both. The results turned out fantastic, with a perfect balance of strawberries, cream, and chunks of fresh cheese.
Makes 2 pints (plus a little extra)
Ingredients:
-6oz. fresh cheese or queso blanco (see recipe)
-1pt. strawberries
-1pt. Smith Creamery half-half
-1pt. Smith Creamery heavy cream
-1 1/4 c. sugar
-1/4 t. almond extract
-3/4 t. vanilla extract
-3 egg yolks
Directions
1. Buy 6oz. of queso blanco or make 6oz. of fresh cheese (see recipe)
2. Make strawberry reduction by combining all strawberries, 1/4 cup of sugar in a sauce pan. Mash up and heat at medium temperature until mixture reduces by half. Remove from stove and add 1/4 teaspoon each of almond & vanilla extract.
3. To make ice cream base, combine pint of half-half, 1 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan or double boiler and heat until temperature registers 200 degrees. In a seperate bowl, lightly whip three egg yolks. Slowly pour hot mixture into egg yolks, stirring vigorously as your pour. Once combined, return mixture to saucepan and heat until custard mixture easily coats the back of a wooden spoon
4. When your ice cream base is finished, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, strawberry reduction, and pint of heavy cream in a mixing bowl. Stir together until combined. Refrigerate mixture overnight (or an a couple hours in freezer) until mixture is ice cold.
5. Pour mixture into ice cream maker, add cheese in small chunks, and turn on until ice cream is finished. Store in plastic containers or ice cream pint cartons.
