Cheese Ice Cream

Cheese Ice Cream or what we call Keso / Queso Ice Cream is an ice cream flavoured with cheese. A very popular flavour in the Philippines it is sold almost by every ice cream vendor.

At last I have bought an ice cream maker now I can make it at home and stop drooling over ice creams made by foodie friends Nami and Ray. I have a lot of flavours in mind but we will be starting with some Filipino classic flavours and first up will be the Cheese Ice Cream or what we call Keso / Queso Ice Cream.

I know non Filipinos would find this flavour weird but trust me this is a really good ice cream flavour; in fact it’s the most popular one in the Philippines. It is sold everywhere in shops, in supermarkets even on the streets in form of colourfully painted wooden carts peddled by a sorbetero. I remember when I posted a photo of this in Facebook I got several comments from colleagues and friends asking me to bring some to office and gatherings which I definitely did the next week after; the ice cream maker was busy. The result was good as it was a big hit for both Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike, I am sure for countrymen they did miss this taste as we don’t have a similar flavour here in New Zealand. For those who haven’t tried this flavour before I noticed they tried it first on small amounts just to fix that curiosity and then afterwards all you hear is mmmmmmm, and they all started grabbing their scoops to get a good serving of this ice cream.

Ice cream has a really interesting history as it was invented prior to refrigeration, just imagine how would they churn it? Well first versions were not churned but they rely on snow. Earliest accounts of a cold dessert similar to this were during the Persian Empire when people pour concentrated grape juice over snow, they consume it usually during hot weather but how do they get the snow? During those times snow taken in top of mountains is saved in cool-keeping underground chambers called “yakhchal”. After this the recipe was further improved and tried to freeze rose water and vermicelli then mix it with a variety of spiced and fruits. The first time milk appeared on a frozen product was in China around 200 BC when frozen milk and rice was combined. It then started to appear in Europe during the times of Roman Emperor Nero (37–68) when he asks his servants to bring ice from the mountains to combine it with fruit toppings.

After those period ice cream started to become commercialized when the Arabs started using milk as its major ingredient and used sugar to sweeten the mixture. The Chinese then invented the device to make ice creams by using snow and saltpetre over the exteriors of containers where this dessert is made, a similar process is even used until know in Philippines in production of sorbetes. In the Yuan Dynasty it was said that Kublai Khan enjoyed ice cream and kept it a heavily guarded secret until Marco Polo visited China. Marco Polo then took the technique of making ice cream and brought it to Italy. It then spread to other European countries like France and England and the rest was history.

Thanks for refrigeration we can enjoy this dessert easily otherwise we will all be going up in the mountains just to get that precious ice to satisfy that ice cream cravings.

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Cheese Ice Cream

  • Yield: 6-8 1x

Description

Cheese Ice Cream or what we call Keso / Queso Ice Cream is an ice cream flavoured with cheese. A very popular flavour in the Philippines it is sold almost by every ice cream vendor.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups cream
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1 packet cream cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • drops of yellow food colour

Instructions

  1. In a sauce pan combine cream, cream cheese, milk and sugar. Heat slowly while continuously mixing until it reaches nearly boiling point (do not boil) and sugar is completely dissolved
  2. Place egg yolks in a mixing bowl then slowly pour around a cup of the heated cream mixture while whisking.
  3. Pour egg mixture to the sauce pan then continue to heat while continuously mixing. Dip a tablespoon and see if liquid sticks to the back side, if it does then you can now turn the heat off.
  4. Place in a heat proof container; add drops of yellow food colour and vanilla extract. Let it cool down, once cooled down place in the fridge for at least four hours.
  5. Prepare your ice cream maker and pour the cream mixture together with shredded cheddar, churn according to ice cream manufacturer’s instruction. Mine took 30-35 minutes.
  6. You can now eat the ice cream at this stage, but if you prefer a firm ice cream freeze for at least 6 hours.

 

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39 Responses

  1. Sue Grimmer says:

    Tasted amazing – thanks for sharing…..
    Sue

  2. Alex says:

    Might it be that you have convinced me to buy an ice cream maker? Although I’m Portuguese, cheese ice cream sounds tempting! Especially to mix with other flavours on a dessert or starter, for example.

  3. peasepudding says:

    It certainly is an net resting flavour with that cheddar in it, I must try it as I have an ice cream maker too.

  4. I guess I will just have to try it as I am having a hard time imagining the flavor. I will take your word for it is good but I always like to try new things. I will be over in a flash. BAM

  5. mjskit says:

    Congratulations on your ice cream maker! I have one on order and I also owe my thanks to Nami and Ray for helping to push me over that ledge. 🙂 This is one of those recipes that is SO interesting, that it’s just got to be made! I look great but I have no idea how it would taste. Love recipes like this! Thanks!

  6. This sounds really interesting, but creamy and delicious! I liked the info about ice cream history!

  7. feralkitchen1 says:

    I don’t have an ice cream maker… Yet… I really want to try this recipe. Cheese ice cream sounds so crazy delicious!

  8. It’s really fun having the machine around especially during summer. Cheese ice cream is one of those unusually delicious flavor of ice cream. Thank you for the mention, Raymund!

  9. cheese ice cream… my favorite after ube ice cream.. 🙂 we used to make this ice cream flavor of the road… it used up lots of salt and the guy mixing it sweats like crazy and possibly mixing it with the ice cream.. probably one of the reason it is so tasty?? hihi

  10. Wow, what an interesting recipe. Cream cheese I can see (cheesecake ice cream!) but the cheddar is definitely not something I’ve ever had in ice cream. I really like cheese, so I’ll definitely have to make this. There’s actually a similar taste in the US, now that I think about it. Often people will top a slice of apple pie with cheddar cheese. And sometimes add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, too. So obviously the flavor combo isn’t totally unknown here. Fun post – thanks.

  11. Greg says:

    IN the instructions for making this, where does the cream cheese get introduced???

  12. Kristy says:

    I can just imagine all the fabulous treats you’re going to be making (and hopefully sharing with us). 🙂

  13. You may not believe this but I was just sending some friends an email about cheesecake and cheese when I swapped windows and saw this! Now I wish I had bought an ice cream from the cart at Salcedo. I was so full. Very interesting flavour I have to try it one day!

  14. Congratulations on your ice cream maker! I love my ice cream maker too.
    I would love to try this ice crem with cream cheese and sharp cheddar in it. I am really curious to know how it would taste.
    It looks fabulous!

  15. Nami | Just One Cookbook says:

    LOL! I’m so happy I could convince you because I can see so many ice cream recipes coming out from your blog and it’s the matter of time! 😉 Just be careful not to eat too much of each of your ice cream. Last thing I want you to do is to give up on making more ice cream recipes. By next summer, I’ll have quite a nice collection from your blog. 😉 I heard about Cheese Ice Cream and it is so interesting flavor. I kind of guess but I have to make it to taste it myself! Thanks for the mention!

  16. jen laceda says:

    Oh, those Chinese invent everything! LOL! Thanks for a bit of history of ice cream. Very interesting…And yes, I do remember these “mais dirty ice cream” that we bought from sorbeteros after school! I think tried a corn ice cream at Momofuku in NYC, but it wasn’t as good as our Filipino version – at least in my POV! I NEED to buy an ice cream maker next summer!

  17. Thank goodness for the invention of Ice Cream! I was thinking I could get into this cheese ice cream if it were cheddar.. and it is!! It would be yummy!!

  18. Kiran says:

    Cheese ice cream?!?! I need it in my life!!

  19. foodjaunts says:

    I am definitely going to be taking out my ice cream maker soon…this is my fav flavor!

  20. grabe super miss ko na ang cheese ice cream ni manong sorbetero!:) hehe now I have to convince my husband to buy me an ice cream maker!!:)) this looks sooo good!

  21. Ruthy says:

    Hello Ray! I made this 2 days ago and it was creamy and delicious! I saw an ube jam in my kitchen cupboard… Im planning to make an ube ice cream but not sure if I need to put the egg yolks too? Help please… Thank u!

  22. Myrtle says:

    Hello Ray! Thanks so much for this recipe- it looks good and want to try it. Just need some help from you on what cream and milk you used? For the cream, can I use the Nestle’s cream in can? For milk, should I use fresh milk or evaporated milk? Thank you and more power

    • Raymund says:

      For the cream and milk use the fresh ones. If you cant find the fresh ones go for the whipping cream (not the whipped) and for the milk you can use the UHT.

  23. kiwidutch says:

    Raymund,
    It took a while but a foodie friend who has an ice-cream maker made this for me after we talked about unusual ice-cream flavours and I provided the main course meal.
    It’s “different” and at first other family and friends guests thought it was vanilla, but not vanilla, it has a real creaminess to it.

    Little Mr is a very very fussy eater and had left the table after the main course to keep working on a building project he’s making for school, but returned later for dessert… he missed knowing what it was and was so excited that there was ice-cream for dessert he went “Yum, vanilla my favourite!” and tucked in… we waited to see when he would twig that it wasn’t actually vanilla at all, but he didn’t,
    (That’s how subtle the flavour of this is), so now this is Little Mr’s favourite “vanilla” ice-cream LOL.

    You can taste that it’s cheese… but only of you already know. Otherwise the taste is subtle and creamy and quite interesting, ‘guests who had to guess couldn’t quite put their finger on exactly what it was. Whilst it’s never going to beat chocolate flavour ice-cream in our household, it did get the thumbs up… and after Little Mr came back with gusto for seconds, the serving dish was very bare indeed.

    It was certainly a talking point !… and guests were impressed by such and unusual flavour, so Thanks so much for introducing this idea and taste experience to us!

    • Raymund says:

      Thanks for sharing your experience on this one and I am glad you and your guests like it. May I ask what cheese did you use? sometimes a saltier tastier cheese is recommended as it gives that contrasting flavour similar to salted caramel. Ive also seen in the Philippines they took this to the next level by using Blue Cheese.

  24. Joan says:

    Made this one today, tasted and looked amazing. If I must say, better pa siya sa ready made na nabibili as FILO shops. My whole fam loved it and asked me to make some more. Dying now to try the ube ice cream. Thank you po for sharing the recipe.

  25. Babes says:

    hello.. may i ask.. yun cream cheese na 1 packet, do you mean, the one bar which is 250gms? Thanks!

  26. Babes says:

    hello.. meron po ba kayong avocado ice cream recipe? thank you po.. and by the way.. un ube po… ube ice cream. ube halaya po ba ang gagamitin?

  27. KimAsa says:

    Couple of things:

    1: great recipe!

    2: I would highly recommend straining final mixture for any small lumps and unmelted pieces, egg pieces etc

    3: using ground turmeric in place of conventional yellow food coloring is a wonderful alternative.

  28. Nol Ysnal says:

    Hi,
    I would love to try this but what is the capacity of your ice cream maker as mine can only make up to 1 litres ice cream max.
    I’m afraid with the amount of ingredients it might go over the 1 litre mark.
    Thanks,
    Nol

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