I could eat ice cream every day.

Especially if it tasted like this one.

You guysss. This was soo good, it was almost gone before I could take a photo of it!

… and I even made a double batch!

Honestly, when we picked all those blueberries a few weeks ago, the first thing I knew I HAD to make was ice cream.  The last time I had made blueberry ice cream was a few years ago during a stint I had expanding my baking techniques with this online baking group called “The Daring Bakers”.  One month we had the challenge of making a baked Alaska – crazy, right?  I remember thinking the blueberry ice cream I made was slightly lacking in flavor, so I went out and purchased a pint of Haagen Dazs’ Zesty Lemon.  Needless to say, it completely overpowered every aspect of that baked Alaska and it was no longer a blueberry baked Alaska, or even a lemon/blueberry baked Alaska.

So, I totally wasn’t going to go back to that recipe.

No.  I wanted something that had incredible flavor.

I absolutely love the flavor of blueberry and cheesecake.

Probably more than the combination of blueberry and lemon.

So, it seemed only fitting to make a blueberry cheesecake ice cream.  An ice cream with the creamiest of cheesecake flavored bases that was filled with a generous amount of both blueberry compote and graham cracker crust pieces.

I’m telling you.  This was so good, my sister’s friends were even willing to pay me to make them more.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

yields 2 quarts

blueberry sauce:

• 1 1/2 c blueberries
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 c water
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Put ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then lower the heat and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Pour the sauce into small container and refrigerate until it is chilled.  *I made this the evening prior to making the ice cream so I didn’t have to wait.

ice cream:

• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 c milk
• 4 c heavy cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 (1 oz.) Jell-O cheesecake instant pudding
• blueberry sauce
• pre-made graham cracker crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.  Add pudding mixtures, one at a time, whisking after each.  Pour mixture into your ice cream mixture and mix according to appliance directions.  Since this makes two quarts, and I only have a 1.5 quart mixer, I had to do it in two batches (but it actually worked out in my favor!)

When the first batch of ice cream is done churning, pour it into your preferred container (which, begs me to ask what type of containers you use to store your ice cream?).  Slather on half of the blueberry sauce and sprinkle half of the graham cracker crust pieces on top.  Finish churning the last portion of your cheesecake cream mixture, and repeat the layering process.  Once all of your ice cream and add-ins are in the container, take a butter knife, and swirl it all around – this will disperse the add-ins all over in lovely swirls!

Cover your container tightly and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Heads up:  Any ice cream you make at home is going to freeze harder than any you purchase in the grocery store.  This is because you’re not adding in all those chemicals.  When you’re craving some ice cream, let it sit out on the counter for about 15 minutes prior to scooping.  Trust me.  It’s worth it.

 

 

 

Blueberries + cheesecake = swoon!