Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream

Aside from ice cream making, one of my favorite kitchen past times is baking.  You may have guessed that given the number of baked goods inspired ice cream flavors.  My favorite types of baked edible treats are cookies, muffins, and quick breads.  Although I love a well-made carrot cake, it is usually too much to have lying around the kitchen.  A satisfying and delicious stand-by is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have used these cookies in the past to make ice cream sandwiches.

Chocolate chip cookies, just like other cookies, make a great ice cream mix-in. Rather than just making vanilla ice cream with chunks of cookies, I steeped the chocolate chip cookies in the milk and then added more chocolate chip cookie pieces at the end.  I previously used this technique to make Double Oreo Ice Cream, and it worked like a charm for this Chocolate Chip Cookie ice cream.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream
Recipe made using ice cream base technique from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home
Makes 1 quart

2 cups whole milk
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 ½ oz. cream cheese, softened
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
2/3 cup cane sugar
1/8 cup light corn syrup
12 to 14 small chocolate chip cookies

Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In another large bowl, whisk together cream cheese and salt.  Set a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and set aside.

Combine the remaining milk with heavy cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan.  Bring milk mixture to a boil.  Cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves, 4 minutes. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Gradually pour the hot milk mixture through the sieve into the cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. Break up about 6 chocolate chip cookies and put in the bowl with the hot milk mixture.  Steep for 30 minutes to dissolve cookies and impart flavor.  Whisk to incorporate cookies.  Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cool.

Chill the mixture thoroughly (at least 4 hours or overnight). Once chilled, whisk ice cream base to break up any remaining cookie pieces.  Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Break up remaining cookies and sprinkle a layer of cookies into a plastic container (or other container for ice cream) and lightly spoon a layer of ice cream on top.  Continue to alternate layers of cookies and ice cream until the container is full, topping with a sprinkle of cookie pieces.

Place plastic or parchment over ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.