Red Velvet Ice Cream

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and fine sea salt. Warm the mixture over medium heat until steam rises but it does not boil, about 5-7 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the warm milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
3. Pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 170-175°F (77-79°C), about 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove the custard from heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits.
5. Whisk in the buttermilk, pure vanilla extract, and red food coloring until the color is evenly distributed.
6. Place the bowl in an ice water bath and stir occasionally until the custard cools to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
7. In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the cooled custard base until fully incorporated. This adds characteristic red velvet creaminess.
8. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill thoroughly.
9. Churn the chilled mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, about 45-60 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
10. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 1 hour to firm up before serving.