Cheesecake Ice Cream

Tastes even better the next day.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 4  ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1  large egg
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 2  teaspoons  grated fresh lemon zest or 2  teaspoons  fresh orange zest
• 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
• 3  graham crackers, crumbled

Directions

1. In a bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese until smooth and creamy; beat in the egg and vanilla; set aside.
2. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; slowly beat the hot milk into the cheese mixture.
3. Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.
4. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly (don’t let the mixture boil or the egg will scramble).
5. Remove pan from heat and pour the hot custard through a strainer into a large clean bowl.
6. Let the custard cool slightly, then stir in the lemon zest and cream.
7. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.
8. Stir the chilled custard; freeze in 1 or 2 batches in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions, adding the crumbled graham crackers to the machine when the ice cream is semifrozen; allow the machine to mix in the crackers.
9. When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat.
10. For firmer ice cream, transfer mixture to a freezer-safe container and freeze several hours.
11. *White Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream: omit the lemon zest; add ½ cup melted white chocolate to the custard along with the vanilla; proceed as directed.
12. *Oreo Cheesecake Ice Cream: omit the lemon zest; substitute crumbled oreos for the graham crackers; proceed as directed.