Home-Made Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream -with- Toasted Graham Cracker Crumbs

Home-Made

Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream

-with-

Toasted Graham Cracker Crumbs

Lemon Filling:

1  Cup  Sugar

1/4  Cup  Cornstarch

1/2  teaspoon Salt

1  Cup  Lemon Juice

1-1/2  Cups  Cold Water

4  Eggs, beaten

2  teaspoons very fine Lemon Zest, optional

Cheesecake Base:

3  8-oz.  Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature

4  Cups  Sugar

2  teaspoons  Vanilla

1 recipe Lemon Filling

4  Cups  Half-and-Half

Whole Milk to fill Ice Cream Freezer

 

Toasted Graham Cracker Crumbs: 

2  Tablespoons  Butter

2  Tablespoons  Sugar

1  Cup  Graham Cracker Crumbs

Ice for Freezing, a minimum of 20 pounds

1 box Ice Cream Salt

For the Lemon Filling:

In a 3-quart saucepan, stir together the Sugar, Cornstarch, and Salt.  Stir in Lemon Juice, Cold Water, and beaten Eggs.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Stir in Lemon Zest (make sure it is finely chopped or it will get caught in your ice cream dasher and clump up).  Refrigerate until completely cold.

For the Cheesecake Base:

In a large mixer bowl, beat the room temperature Cream Cheese and Sugar on medium speed until smooth.  Beat in the Vanilla and Lemon Filling until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use, or a minimum of 30 minutes.  Transfer Base to Ice Cream canister; stir in Half-and-Half and Whole Milk to manufacturer's fill line (or 4-5 inches from top, if not marked).  Freeze according to Ice Cream Freezer's instructions, using 4 layers of Ice and Salt.  When the freezing is complete, drain off any icy water from the freezer bucket, repack with more ice and salt and allow to cure for 2 hours (I actually transfer the canister to a 5-gallon drink igloo and allow the Ice Cream to cure in this.  The curing process helps this soft Ice Cream to firm up and flavors to blend.    Top each serving with Toasted Graham Cracker Crumbs.

For the Toasted Graham Cracker Crumbs:

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the Butter.  Stir in the Sugar and Graham Cracker Crumbs, stirring until a light golden brown and crunchy.  

Because of the high level of Fat in this Ice Cream, it will take an entire box of Ice Cream Salt and at least 20 pounds of Ice to get this to freeze firm.  It will take about 45-75 minutes to freeze, so don't give up and think "this will NEVER be done!".  One good thing about having a lot of fat in it (besides the fact that it tastes good) is that the leftovers don't get grainy in the freezer.

If your family likes things very tart, or if you're using a sweet Lemon (like a Meyer Lemon), bump up the amount of Lemon Juice in the Filling to 1-1/2 Cups.  Just remember to decrease the Water to 1 Cup!

"...therefore, let us offer

the sacrifice of praise to God continually,

that is,

the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.

But to do good and to share forget not;

for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

Hebrews 13:15 & 16 

 Adapted from Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream by Suzie Grover