Goat Cheese Ice Cream

I longed for an ice cream maker for years, and last November I finally made the purchase. It was shiny and red and on sale. The sale was for good reason — who wants ice cream in November? Well I didn’t really so the ice cream maker waited in its box while I perused countless ice cream recipes searching for the perfect inaugural batch. It wasn’t long before I found David Lebovitz’s recipe for goat cheese ice cream. Goat cheese ice cream? S was skeptical. Gosh, I was skeptical. But the idea of it was intriguing. It could be a hit or a flop. So we patiently waited days, weeks, months to try it.

While the first batch was spinning in its frozen canister, S and I excitedly waited nearby with spoons in hand. Lebovitz mentions that the ice cream tastes like cheesecake. And sure enough, the ice cream smelled just like cheesecake as it was churning. At last the ice cream was ready and we tried the first spoonful. Sadly, it was terrible. It tasted a bit sour and a bit too goat cheesy. But I was not discouraged. I knew I needed to find a milder, higher quality goat cheese and use a bit less of it.

The search was on for a good goat cheese. Once again the Matthews farmers’ market came to the rescue. There I discovered a locally produced goat cheese from a farm in Waxhaw, North Carolina called Bosky Acres. Their goat cheese has the most pleasant flavor. It’s mild, delicate, and tangy — not at all sour.

Back into the kitchen I went to try again. This time I used the Bosky Acres goat cheese and only half of the amount called for by Lebovitz. Again, we waited for the machine to work its magic, and this time that first spoonful was perfect. It really does taste like cheesecake with a hint of tangy goat cheese. Topped with honey and pecans, this goat cheese ice cream makes for a delicious not-too-sweet dessert. The moral of this kitchen tale: patience is a virtue and if at first you don’t succeed, always try, try again.

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Makes About 3 Cups
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
6 large egg yolks

1. Warm the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. While the milk is warming, crumble the goat cheese into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
3. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the goat cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.