Caramelized Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream
You guys. This ice cream. I don’t even know where to start.
When I got Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, I knew I was going to be making this goat cheese ice cream. Obviously, I’m drawn to all things goat cheese.
After reviewing the recipe in more detail, it sounded a lot like the flavors in a classic cheesecake. So I decided to throw in some graham cracker chunks and increase the amount of roasted cherries.
Now when I set out to roast my cherries, I had a math mixup. I had enough cherries for 1.5x the recipe in the book, but instead of scaling the sugar appropriately, I tripled the amount of sugar. I seriously have no idea how that happened, but it did. In fact, I didn’t figure it out until a couple days later, after the sugary cherries bubbled over in my oven, burning to the bottom, and after I ran the clean cycle on our stove, which makes the house smell oh-so-lovely. As a result, my cherries were more caramelized than roasted and the sauce was extremely thick. I figured that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing and just went with it.
Hubby kept giving my glares when I told him the ice cream was going to be worth the hassle (and the smell). And then he tasted it. And all was forgiven. He officially proclaimed it was the best ice cream I’ve made (I know, he has said that before) and that I should only make this ice cream from now on (although he’d prefer me not to mess up my math and stink up the house). Spoiler alert, I have since made other ice cream recipes, but Hubby hasn’t claimed any of them as his favorite over this one.
With all that tanginess from the goat cheese, and the familiar graham cracker flavor, it really did taste like a cherry cheesecake in ice cream form. I can’t wait to make this again with other fruit flavors. I’m thinking blueberry or blackberry would be equally amazing.
Two Years Ago: Homemade Mayo and Blueberry Salsa over Grilled Mahi Mahi
Three Years Ago: Burger of the Gods
Four Years Ago: Pink Lemonade Cupcakes and Crockpot Roast Beef
Caramelized Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Yield: ~1 quart
Ingredients:
For the Roasted Cherries
3 cups pitted fresh or frozen (not thawed) red or black cherries
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
For the Ice Cream
2 cups whole milk (I used coconut milk)
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) fresh goat cheese
1 1/2 ounces (3 Tbsp) cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream (I used coconut milk)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup graham cracker chunks (~6 crackers, crushed)
Directions:
For the Roasted Cherries
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Combine the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a 9-inch square baking dish, tossing to mix. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, until the juices are thickened and bubbly, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator.
For the Ice Cream
Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the goat cheese, cream cheese, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool, 4 hours or overnight.
Pour the ice cream base in to your ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions.
Pack the ice cream into a storage container, layering the ice cream base, graham cracker chunks, and cherries. Do not mix. Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
Recipe adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Wow, these look great! Kudos for your success at another baking first!
Your cheesecake pops looked clean-cut. Perfect cubes and they really look good in cubes! Nicely coated!! Unlike mine, lol.
The squares look great.
bakingdelights.com
Mine had footprints.. and finger prints from the pint sized assistant!
Wow, your shapes are so clean and perfect. Very nice job!
Everything looks so perfect. Great job
Well done in getting them dairy-free. I don’t have access to Tofutti in the UK and have had to go for the whole-dairy version, which I have to take a lactaid just to look at. Yours are lov-er-ly looking.
Perfect geometrics! Nice job–and glad you enjoyed them with the extra, dairy-free challenges.
I love how perfectly cut those are – well done!
My first batch of pops I coated by microwaving the chocolate, I think I am going to try it over the water like you did, to try to get a more consistent coating this time – they’re just in the freezer now…
These turned out beautifully..they are such clean lines! Very nice!
Carrie
your pops look so perfect! i wish my cheesecake had been that firm! congrats on adapting the recipe to suit your needs 🙂
Aw, bummer about the lactose intolerance (I too have lactose issues normally). I’m so glad you could figure a way around it and isn’t the new DB site awesome?! 🙂 Your pops turned out beautifully! Great job.
Wow! Did you cut your squares with a knife or dental floss? They are really pretty and precise looking! I’m glad the soymilk/margarine substitute worked for you.
Awesome. I love your squares!
I really love the square pops, they are so elegant. Thanks for the tips on dairy-free pops!
Maggie, I used a knife to cut my shapes.
Great job! I did squares too.
Congratulations on your lactose-free pops. I love their cute little square shape!
Your pops are adorable! I was so happy to see a dairy free version. My little nephews are on a dairy free diet. This is a perfect treat for them. Thanks!
Great looking pops and a nice adapation of the recipe.
Ooo I love the squares and triangles. Very cute. Congratulations on completing the challenge and being able to adapt it to something you can enjoy!
I love the square pops! I’m also lactose intolerant, but I admit to loving dairy too much to give it up. Lactaid is my friend!
Your squares are absolutely perfect!! Great job on this challenge – especially with adapting it so that you could enjoy it!
Love your geometric cheesecake pop shapes. I wish my cheesecake had been firm enough to try that approach. I may try tofutti next time…
Gorgeous cube pops! They remind me of those chocolate See’s suckers 🙂
woot!! Cute little square pops 😉 they look wonderful, and so perfect..soo very perfect lol
Your pops look wonderful!
Wow! Your pops look awesome. Does it taste like real cheesecake with your toffuti substitute.
perfect squares 🙂 I love them !
Great job ! congrats !
i know this post is old but i was wondering if you could share the orginal recipe that isnt dairy free? my email is vertigoxcured@gmail.com
They look and sound great! I will have to try these out.
Hi- just wanted to tell you I’ve been making these every year since you posted this. I never print the recipe and every fall I have to google it to find this specific one- we all love it! My kids (13, 11 and 5) ask for these the first time we say the word pumpkin in August. So thank you!