Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Is there anything better than cookie dough? Normally, I would say, hands down, no.

Unless.

Unless said cookie dough happens to be mixed into ice cream.

My boyfriend agrees. See, this is why we get along so well. He asks for cookie dough ice cream for his birthday, and I get to make it. And, of course, help him eat it.

Bonus: using egg beaters in the cookie dough means it still tastes how it should, but you aren't tempting fate with each huge spoonful of raw dough you shovel into your mouth.

Also, you get to make chocolate chip cookies with the leftover dough. Doesn't get any better.

For cookie dough, follow my never-fail recipe here.  Substitute egg beaters for the eggs.

For the ice cream, I improvised my own recipe using Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream's style.

Vanilla Ice Cream Base
Ingredients:
1-1/2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 TB plus 1 tsp corn starch
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 TB light corn syrup

Directions: In a small bowl, whisk together corn starch and 2 TB of the whole milk. In larger bowl, whisk together cream cheese, vanilla and salt. Set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, add cream, whole milk, sugars and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in corn starch mixture. Return to a boil and cook for one more minutes. Remove from heat and pour, slowly while whisking, into cream cheese mixture.

Chill in ice bath or refrigerator, then freeze according to ice cream maker instructions. When pouring into air-tight container, layer with cookie dough chunks. Cover with waxed or parchment paper to prevent freezer burn and allow ice cream to harden in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

For an even more decadent fix, serve ice cream over a warm chocolate chip cookie.