Cream Cheese Ice Cream with Blueberry and Raspberry Swirls

I've never been really into holidays. My Halloween costume (if there is one) is usually some last minute thing I pull out of the closet. I forget to wear green on St. Patrick's Day and feel relatively indifferent about Valentine's Day. I always confuse Labor Day with Memorial Day. And I own zero Hanukkah or New Years decorations. But holiday-themed food? That's something I can get behind. So in honor of the fireworks-watching potluck I will be hosting on my roof deck this 4th of July, I made this red, white, and blue concoction. The tart fruit swirls are the perfect compliment to the silky, rich cream base. I'd take a scoop of this over a slice of apple pie any day.

Recipe:

1 cup blueberries

1 cup raspberries

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar 

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

6 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 oz. cream cheese

In two separate saucepans, cook the blueberries and the raspberries with a tablespoon of sugar each over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the fruits reach a jam-like consistence (about 20 minutes). Pour each fruit jam through a sieve into separate bowls to remove the seeds. Cool in the refrigerator. In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolks and set aside.  In a clean saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar with whole milk and heavy cream over medium heat and stir frequently. Just before it comes to a simmer, gradually add about half of the mixture to the egg yolks, stirring continuously. Gradually pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Continue to stir until the liquid forms a thick custard that coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Place the cream cheese at the bottom of a large bowl and pour the hot custard over it. Stir until the cream cheese has melted. It may help to use an electric hand mixer to blend it together. Cool the custard in the refrigerator or using an ice bath. Once it's cold, whip the custard to incorporate some air—this will improve the ice cream texture. Pour the custard into the ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. When it has reached the desired consistency, pour the blueberry and raspberry jams into the ice cream maker in a steady stream and churn for 3-5 more seconds to create a swirl.