Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Name: Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Prep time: 20 min
Ingredients: 500 ml Whipping cream; 280 gm Cream cheese; 200 gm Condensed milk; 2 tsp Vanilla extract; 250 gm Strawberries (fresh); 1 tbsp Lemon juice; 1 tbsp Light brown sugar; 10 pcs Biscuits; 10 gm Butter (melted); 40 gm Pecans (toasted); Pinch of salt; Waffle cones; Fresh strawberries; Toasted pecans

A creamy no churn ice cream filled with all the flavors of a strawberry cheesecake from the biscuit base to a simple fresh strawberry compote and of course cream cheese. This ice cream is a no fuss recipe that comes together with basic equipment making for a delicious dessert at home.

When I heard about International Cheesecake Day I wanted to make something to celebrate but I didn’t want to make cheesecake. I mean there is nothing wrong with a classic cheesecake slice, be it a creamy New York Cheesecake – or a luscious Basque Cheesecake for that matter – or a light and airy No Bake Cheesecake. But I wanted to do something a little different, I have made a Basque cheesecake for 1 recipe, a no bake cheesecake and red velvet cheesecake squares. With the summer taking over it only seemed fitting to make an Ice cream and since I don’t own an Ice cream machine – we are making a no churn ice cream for the benefit of everyone.

There is something about a velvet smooth cheese cake that is sitting on a crumbly cookie crust topped with strawberry compote and some fresh strawberries but I took all those components and turned them into an ice cream. So I don’t bake the cookie crust, however I do mix it with toasted pecan nuts to add that crunch into the biscuit layer. As for the strawberry compote, it needs only 3 ingredients and you are done. Cook some strawberries, lemon juice and brown sugar in a sauce pot on low flame until it starts getting juicy. Increase the heat and let it come to a bubble, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes. Don’t smash the strawberries but gently stir it every now and then to ensure it has left the sides.

As for the cream cheese filling we are getting traditional and using Philadelphia cream cheese however I must say you can use greek yogurt and there are a few substitutes that would work, check the substitutes section below for more information. There is whipping cream and condensed milk involved, making for a rich cheesecake base. Now that we have covered the basics let us talk about equipment, I use an electric hand beater to whip up the cream but you could do it by hand, it would just take a little longer. As for the ice cream part, I freeze my mixture in an aluminum cake tin for over 12 hours as I live in Dubai and its summer so I know it will melt and be soft very fast if I don’t freeze it well.

There are multiple reasons why this ice cream is a no churn and still holds it creamy texture. A major factor has to be the condensed milk that helps keep it soft and scoop-able once thawed a little on the kitchen counter. Another factor is the addition of whipping cream which not only adds creaminess but ensures the mixture is light. And the final factor is the cream cheese as it is very high in fat content it helps avoid ice crystals once frozen.You can also add 2 tbsp vodka or 1 tbsp light corn syrup to help keep the mixture creamy without any icy crystals. I haven’t added any this recipe but I have done it before and it works.

There are a few substitutes that will help with this recipe incase you run into a hiccup, they are:

ICE CREAM BASE

Cream Cheese – I have used Philadelphia cream cheese here but you can use any cream cheese, ideally you want to use a full fat cream cheese as it will add the creaminess to the ice cream later. You can use greek yogurt or any full fat yogurt that has been strained and the liquid removed.

Whipping cream – You need to a use a full fat whipping cream, its this will add the airy, light texture to the ice cream. You cannot use cooking cream but you can use a full fat coconut cream, this will however change the taste of the ice cream once done.

Condensed milk – You need this ingredient to make the ice cream sweet but maintain its thickness. You cannot use sweetened evaporated milk here, it has to be condensed milk.

Vanilla – Ideally you wan to use extract or a whole vanilla bean here but if you have essence or powder you could use either as well.

STRAWBERRY COMPOTE BASE

Strawberries – This is a strawberry cheesecake ice cream but you can use any berries like blueberries, raspberries and blackberries as well. I like using fresh berries in this recipe hence don’t use frozen or freeze dried.

Lemon juice – You need some acid here to made the compote hence you can use lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Sometimes I use balsamic vinegar as well.

Brown sugar – I love the flavor of light brown sugar in this recipe it adds a caramel note to the compote. You can use any sugar or sweetener you like, ideally use a dry sweetener here as a liquid sweetener will make the compote more runny.

BISCUIT BASE

Parle G Biscuits – I used the biscuits I had on hand and they are already sweet which is why I balanced the sweetness with a little sugar in the biscuit mixture, you can use graham crackers which are a classic cheesecake biscuit base but I didn’t have any.

Pecan nuts – I like to toast the nuts so that it stays crunchy even once frozen. You can use walnuts, sliced almonds, macadamia nuts or Brazil nuts.

Butter – The butter here is melted and used to coat the biscuit base ingredients keeping them crunchy once frozen.

I like to top the ice cream with more compote and biscuit crumbs before freezing. The ice cream needs to be frozen for 12 hours hence it is best to make it in the evening and keep it in the fridge overnight. I like to cover the tin with cling film, baking paper and them aluminum foil in that order as it helps seal the ice cream tin. Ive used an 8inch round cake tin to freeze the mixture here and you can use anything you have or like as long as it is freezer safe. You can use plastic but it could crack once frozen. Using any metal based tin will help freeze the mixture faster.

When you are ready to serve the ice cream make sure to let it sit on the kitchen counter at room temperature for 15-20 mins as it does need to thaw a little before you scoop out the ice cream. I served the ice cream in waffle cones but that was for mum I enjoyed it as it is in a bowl. If you want to top the ice cream with freshly sliced strawberries and toasted pecans you absolutely can. As it melts the ice cream gets creamier making for a very luscious and indulgent treat. Yes, it is rich even though there are a few ingredients used here hence you don’t need a lot to satisfy those cravings.

Ideally this can last in your freezer for upto 2 weeks if stored correctly. If you are going to freeze it for a long time, don’t keep the entire ice cream container on the kitchen counter to thaw before serving, scoop out (with a little force) only what is needed, cover the ice cream tin and place it in the freezer again. Let the ice cream in the bowl thaw a little before eating.

I think we have covered everything there is to cover. Let us make some ice cream without a machine and beat this summer. Happy Mixing Ninjas!