Churn this: Our Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero

If you’ve taken a peek at our ice cream cookbook, you’ve seen its cover star: our beloved Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero ice cream. This edible tongue twister of sweet marionberries, funky goat cheese, and complex habanero heat slowly reveals itself with a pleasant burn. Its biggest fans eagerly await all year for its return, but now you can churn it in your own kitchen. Make sure to tag us in your homemade scoops on social.

Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero

Makes about 2 pints

3 cups ice cream base, very cold (recipe follows)
6 ounces (⅔ cup) fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup marionberry habanero jam (recipe follows)

• Combine the ice cream base, goat cheese, and salt in a bowl and use a stick blender to completely incorporate the cheese. If you’re using a frozen-bowl type of machine, cover and chill in the fridge until cold. Stir in the lemon juice, then immediately pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and turn on the machine. Churn until the mixture has the texture of soft-serve, about 25 minutes.
• Stir the jam with a fork to loosen it. Alternate spooning layers of the mixture and generous dollops of jam in freezer-friendly containers.
• Cover with parchment paper, pressing it to the surface of the ice cream is it adheres, then cover with a lid. It’s okay if the parchment hangs over the rim. Store in the coldest part of your freezer (furthest from the door) until firm, at least 6 hours. It will keep for up to 3 months.

Marionberry Habanero Jam:

One 11 ounce jar seedless marionberry, seedless blackberry, or seedless black raspberry jam or 2 pints of fresh berries
1 fresh habanero chile, coarsely chopped, seeds removed if you prefer less heat

1. Combine ¼ cup of jam, or 2 pints of fresh berries, and the habanero in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring the mixture occasionally, until the jam or berries liquefy and just begin to simmer, about 5 minutes.
2. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. If you used jam, add the remaining jam and stir well to combine. Refrigerate until fully chilled. Stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, the jam will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months. 

Ice Cream Base:

Makes about 3 cups

½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
2 tablespoons light corn syrup 
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 ⅓ heavy cream

• Combine the sugar, dry milk, and xanthan gum in a small bowl and stir well.
• Pour the corn syrup into a medium pot and stir in the whole milk. Add the sugar mixture and immediately whisk vigorously until smooth. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent a simmer, until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
• Add the cream and whisk until fully combined. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours, or for even better texture and flavor, 24 hours. Stir the base back together if it separates during the resting time. The base can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (Just be sure to fully thaw the frozen base before using it.)