Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream

Instructions

1. Combine whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and split vanilla bean pod with seeds in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Heat the mixture until it is warm and the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let the vanilla steep for 30 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until smooth.
4. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
5. Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
6. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 170-175°F (77-79°C), about 5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat, discard the vanilla pod, and whisk in the softened cream cheese until smooth and fully incorporated.
8. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any curdled bits.
9. Cover the custard with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.
10. Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency.
11. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours to firm up before serving.