Strawberry Goat Cheese Ice Cream

Sometimes food seems too pretty to eat. This would be one of those times. The sculpted scoops of pink perfection are just so... cute! Of course, not eating it would be a mistake of epic proportions. Think strawberry cheesecake in ice cream form. Oh, you want a spoon now?

Does anyone else find it jarring that it says "vegetarian?" Oh well. It's best to use a soft mild goat cheese like this one with a "smooth, creamy flavor" from Whole Foods. 

Cook down the strawberries with a little sugar until it reaches a jam-like consistency.

Seriously, how pretty is this?

It should look like strawberry yogurt.

Recipe:

Yield: 1 quart

2 pounds strawberries
3/4 cup sugar (separated 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 egg yolks
2-3 oz. mild goat cheese

In a medium saucepan, cook strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a jam-like consistency (about 30 minutes). Set aside. In a separate saucepan, combine milk, heavy cream, and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar over medium heat. Whip egg yolks in a separate bowl. Just before the milk begins to simmer, add about half the mixture to the bowl of egg yolks half a cup at a time, stirring constantly. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Continue to stir until liquid thickens into a custard and coats the back of a spoon. Crumble goat cheese at the bottom of a large bowl. Pour hot custard over the goat cheese and stir until it melts. Add strawberries. Puree together in a blender or with an electric hand mixer. Chill the custard using an ice bath or refrigeration. When the custard is cold, pour custard into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.