Cheese In Ice Cream Sounds Ridiculous, But Trust The Process
Quirky food combinations have been around for ages, and they can be hit or miss — but when you're bold enough to try them, you may end up discovering a new favorite. While cheese with ice cream might sound absurd, is it really so outlandish to mix two dairy products together? People worldwide enjoying cheesecake chunks on their fro-yo clearly think no, and we're inclined to agree.
There are nearly 2,000 kinds of cheese produced across the globe, making the opportunities for mixing and matching flavors and textures all but infinite. Of course, how exactly you add the flavor (topping, stirring in, etc.) will also affect the experience. If you're willing to take a leap into the gastronomic unknown, a whirlwind of dairy duality awaits. From blue cheese to mascarpone, cream cheese to shredded cheddar, here are a handful of the salty and sweet, extra-creamy combinations straight from your fridge's deli drawer that are sure to take your dessert game to the next level.
Blue cheese and pear ice cream
It's no secret that blue cheese can be controversial — so let's make it even more so! Adding a small amount of the sharp, strong cheese to your ice cream has been endorsed by the likes of Gordon Ramsay and the savory scoop stars at Salt & Straw, and it truly adds a punch to each bite. It's not a mild flavor by anyone's standards, but pairing it with poached pears or figs lends an extra sweetness that balances out the surprising savoriness. Topping your cone with plain chopped or wet walnuts is a great way to introduce a new texture alongside the creaminess.
When using blue cheese as an ice cream topping, try to avoid large crumbles, which can be overwhelming. Vanilla or dark chocolate are equally ideal pairings, but you could also opt for something fruity like black raspberry (with or without chocolate chips).
As far as which cheese to pick, that depends on your comfort level with the intentionally moldy funk of blue cheese. Gorgonzola is on the milder end, and Roquefort is far on the other, so if you're apprehensive, maybe start with something light and work your way up from there if you find it agreeable. If you do learn to enjoy blue cheese, though, a whole world of pairings will open itself up to you — experts even say that blue cheese pairs well with the Girl Scout Cookie classic Peanut Butter Patties.
Burrata and basil balsamic ice cream
Ah, burrata — the two-in-one Italian cheese perfect for spreading on a pizza, topping a salad, or eating plain with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of basil. It's essentially a shell of mozzarella filled with soft curds and cream, and the same classic herbaceous flavors it's typically paired with on pizza or in salads are good to keep in mind when you're planning out your burrata and ice cream combo. There are a number of ways to go about this: You could whip up a burrata basil ice cream, or try slicing an especially soft ball of the cheese over scoops of tomato paste gelato – either would make the perfect candidate for finishing dashes of basil oil and syrupy aged balsamic vinegar.
If you want an even sweeter version, the creamy cheese is also complemented well by tart cherries, and can be drizzled with caramel. Still too complicated for you? Do what all die-hard burrata lovers do: Serve a scoop of burrata ice cream plain with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Cheddar cheese and apple pie à la mode
We won't lie: This is essentially the most Wisconsin dessert to ever Wisconsin. But there's nothing the Badger State does better than cheese, so we're all ears to hearing what they have to say on this one. As it turns out, topping a serving of apple pie with a slice of cheese is commonplace in the American Midwest and the New England region.
You are, of course, still more than welcome to heap a pile of shredded cheddar on top of your pie, but if you want to serve it à la mode, you might as well work the cheese into your ice cream by melting grated, sharp white cheddar into the base. It incorporates smoothly and avoids the oily nature that a piece of sliced cheese can take on when warmed by the heat of the pie. If you want to eat the ice cream on its own, put the pie flavors in the cone by mixing in chunks of caramel apples or pie crust chunks to create your very own pie-in-a-bite.
Mascarpone and berry ice cream
Mascarpone has already eked out its spot in the dessert realm, serving as an ingredient in tiramisu and cannoli. So, it should come as no surprise that mixing it into ice cream is a top-tier concept, with a myriad of possible flavor combinations. Raspberry and cream tiramisu-inspired ice cream is the first idea that comes to mind, with a sweet and fun flavor mix of raspberries and crushed lady finger cookies. Blueberries, cherries, or other summer fruits could also work — and if the sweetness is too much, try the age-old trick of grating in some lemon zest to brighten the rich, creamy treat.
You could also take another route to tiramisu-inspired mascarpone ice cream, by leaning on the traditional coffee flavor. Swapping out the raspberry for instant coffee or brewed espresso, and maybe even throwing in a few tablespoons of cocoa powder will result in a decadent, energizing dessert perfect for the coffee lovers in your life (or your own midday pick-me-up).
Cream cheese cheesecake ice cream
Breathe a sigh of relief — you're not likely to have any qualms about this food pairing. Speaking of cheeses that have been quietly working their way into dessert recipes for nearly two centuries, cream cheese has been embraced with open arms by bakers, and mixing it into ice cream is a combination even the most skeptical aren't likely to turn down. One of the best ways to do it is by incorporating the flavors and textures of cheesecake.
Admittedly, this is likely to be one of the simplest ice creams on the list. A favorite of Nigella Lawson (she wrote about the tangy frozen dessert in her 2002 book "Nigella Summer"), all it requires is churning and freezing cheesecake filling ingredients. But just as with regular cheesecake, the spin-offs from there are endless. You can mix crushed graham crackers directly into the ice cream base or sprinkle scoops with a crunchy graham cracker topping. Oreo Cheesecake Ice Cream? Turtle Cheesecake Ice Cream? Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream? The only limit is your imagination.