Berry Cheesecake Ice Cream

One of my favorite combinations of flavors is cheesecake and berries. When I would go to marble slab, I would almost always ask for cheesecake ice cream smashed with raspberries. I love this combination so much that for my wedding cake, I had cheese cake with berry compote on the side!

(Although, I hate white cake, so it just made since to do something different, and fun!) 

As I was thinking about perfect desserts to make for the July 4th weekend, I decided I would recreate this, adding blueberries for the ideal "red, white and blue" look needed to celebrate Independence Day! The base ice cream is really a tasty and easy cheesecake ice cream that you could add anything to (chocolate, strawberries, cherries, any pie filling, peanut butter, limes....the sky, or your imagination's the limit!)

I hope you enjoy this easy, new ice cream creation!

Ingredients:

• Ice Cream:
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant cheesecake or vanilla pudding mix
• 1 quart heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups half & half
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Crust
• 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
•  Berry Swirl (double recipe if you want to use 1/2 to swirl in and another 1/2 for a topping)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (if using frozen berries, double cornstarch)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in water until smooth. 

2. Smash the blueberries so they will not freeze as a solid rock.

3. Stir in raspberries, blueberries, lemon zest, & lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. 
Cover and refrigerate (or freeze if you're short on time) until chilled. 

 

4. In a large bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar & cinnamon. Stir in butter. Pat into an ungreased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

5. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, pudding powder, vanilla and half & half together. When sugar is dissolved, gently whisk in the whipping cream. Fill ice cream freezer cylinder two-thirds full; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. Freeze first batch. Whisk remaining mixture then add to ice cream freezer.

6. Crumble the graham cracker mixture. 

7. In a large container, layer the ice cream, graham cracker mixture and berry sauce.

8. Repeat again for second full layer of everything.
TIP: Save a few crumbs of the crust to add as a topping, or to just snack on!

 

9. Swirl using a fork or spoon.

10. Freeze until ready to serve (at least 4 hours so it can set.)

Bon Appetit!