By Tracey
Red Velvet Ice Cream with Cream Cheese Swirl
barely adapted from Annie’s Eats
Ingredients:
Ice Cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions:
To make the ice cream: Add the heavy cream, 3/4 cup of the sugar, cocoa powder, and the salt to a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Whisking frequently, heat the mixture until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve into the cream – the mixture should come to a bare simmer.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar in a heatproof bowl until combined and pale in color. Slowly add the warm cream mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour back into the saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 170-175 F on an instant read thermometer). Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl then add the buttermilk, food coloring, and vanilla. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (overnight is good).
Right before churning, make the cream cheese swirl: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low just until combined, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the vanilla and heavy cream and increase the speed to medium-high, continuing to beat the mixture until very light and fluffy.
Freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you transfer the ice cream to an airtight container for storage, layer in the cream cheese frosting (make the layers of frosting as thin as you can for the best swirls). Transfer the ice cream to the freezer and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
Makes about 1 quart.
