Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

I just found out this weekend that July is Ice Cream Month.  How convenient because I have quite a few ice cream recipes to share with you - and since I didn't know there was a whole month dedicated to ice cream,  I started my obsession with this frozen delight in June!!  I like to be early with things that are so good - and the recipes I am sharing with you are really THAT good - and I have more in the works so stay tuned.  I don't know why I have a fascination with ice cream these days.  The weather hasn't even been that hot (although reports are that a heat wave is coming the end of the week - yikes!)  so I cannot use that as an excuse....yet.  Maybe I just want to have all of my favorites figured out so when it is hot and miserable and the only thing that tastes good is a cold bowl or cone of ice cream, I will be totally prepared!  Makes sense to me!!  I currently have four different flavors in the freezer - how absurd is that?  The only redeeming (barely) fact is that I only make a quart at a time, so that makes it more acceptable in my book. If they were the half gallon size, then you could conclude that I have a serious ice cream addiction  - but quart size is totally acceptable. Right?  And I don't even eat it that often - that is the funny thing. You would think I would be attacking it on a daily basis, but since it's there in a variety of flavors, and I know I can easily make more, it just doesn't seem to have control over my whole being - at least not this week!  Will keep you posted on that one.

So - now that I have tempted you with the idea of more deliciousness to come, I will share this winner with you.  You do need an ice cream machine to make this one, but it is worth it.  The next time I make it, I would add graham cracker crumbs for a little more cheesecake texture - but it is fabulous as it is.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

adapted from Hip Foodie Mom

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. organic cane sugar

1 c. cold heavy cream

8 oz. strawberry Greek yogurt

1 T. fresh lemon juice

3 T. strawberry jam (good quality)

1 t. vanilla extract (I use Vanilla Bean Crush from King Arthur flour that has bits of vanilla beans in it)

2 heaping cups of fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped.

OPTIONAL:  If you don't want it to freeze quite so hard, add 1 T. vodka when you are mixing all of the ingredients. Alcohol doesn't freeze, so that makes it a little easier to scoop out.

With a stand mixer or good hand mixer, use the whisk attachment and blend together the cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, strawberry yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped strawberries gently until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill well in the refrigerator - for about an hour.  Pour into your ice cream canister.

When done processing, put it in an airtight container and freeze for at least 6 hours before heating (although licking the ice cream beater when it is finish in the machine is certainly acceptable - and even necessary!

Pin It Now!