Cheddar Ice Cream for Apple Pie Recipe

By
Max Falkowitz
Max Falkowitz is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Max Falkowitz
Max Falkowitz is a food and travel writer from Queens. From 2012 to 2015 he worked at Serious Eats, first as New York editor and later as features editor. He's also the co-author of the Dumpling Galaxy Cookbook with Helen You, and the author of the trivia game Taste Test: 200 Trivia Questions for Food Nerds.
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Updated Apr. 15, 2020
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Vicky Wasik

Some folks take their apple pie with ice cream. Others demand a sharp cheese, like cheddar. How do you make everyone happy? With this ultra-sharp, ultra-cheesy cheddar ice cream. It's best eaten with apple pie, where its rich, cheesy bite cuts the fruit's sweetness for a compound dessert that becomes greater than the sum of its parts. But stick to pie; this ice cream isn't meant to be eaten on its own.

Why this recipe works:

  • This ice cream is loaded with cheese for a genuine cheddar flavor.
  • Blending cheese into ice cream turns it soft and creamy, superior to the leathery, oily texture cheddar takes on when melted over pie.

Note: You can substitute half-and-half for the cream and milk in this recipe.

Recipe Facts

Active: 45 mins
Total: 4 hrs
Serves: 4 servings
Makes: 1 pint

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Ingredients

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream (see note)

  • 3/4 cup whole milk (see note)

  • 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Whisk in cream and milk until yolk mixture is fully incorporated.

  2. Place pot over medium-low heat and cook, whisking frequently, until a custard forms on a spoon and a finger swiped across the back leaves a clean line, or until custard temperature reaches 170°F.

  3. Remove from heat and add cheddar. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk to combine. Use an immersion blender, or carefully transfer custard to a stand-alone blender, and blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Add salt to taste, starting with a small pinch (seasoning will depend on saltiness of cheese).

  4. Pour custard through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container and chill in an ice bath or refrigerator until temperature drops to 40°F, about 2 hours for ice bath, up to overnight for refrigerator. As base chills, it might separate slightly or form a skin. If so, wait until it's completely chilled, then blend until smooth.

  5. Churn ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and harden in freezer for at least 4 hours before serving atop apple pie in small scoops.

Special equipment

ice cream maker; blender or immersion blender

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
407 Calories
29g Fat
23g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 407
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 38%
Saturated Fat 17g 84%
Cholesterol 262mg 87%
Sodium 243mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 259mg 20%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 176mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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