Ice Cream of the Week: Cookies 'n' Cream My Way

After much hinting from both my boyfriend Kyle and my dad, I've "given in" and made them cookies 'n' cream ice cream. The hints started when my dad very strategically placed the newly bought package of Oreos where I could not miss them. Either way, this ice cream is a favorite of mine, and I'm trying to stick to my ice cream of the week pledge. The abundance of ice cream may also have to do with the fact that I have very little else to do besides sleep in ridiculously late and lifeguard old people at Denison University.

What separates this cookies 'n' cream ice cream from the others is the fact that I add the chopped oreo cookies in at the beginning of the churning process, therefore breaking up the cookies and creating almost a chocolate ice cream. What I find so "exciting" about this process is that it makes the ice cream base the cookie part of the cookies 'n' cream. This all started by accident when I made this ice cream in the past, but it was one of those lucky mistakes that ended up great.

Cookies 'n' Cream Ice Cream: Amy's Way

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

3 egg yolks, beaten

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups oreo cookies, chopped

Combine sugar, salt, milk and egg yolks in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the mixture, around 12-15 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and cool to room temperature. (I found that the fastest way to do this is by placing the bowl holding the mixture into an ice bath.)

When everything is cool, stir in the vanilla and heavy cream and chill for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, chop enough oreos to make 2 cups and have ready.

Just before beginning to churn your ice cream, add the chopped oreos. 

Pour into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually around 15-30 minutes. Once churned, transfer ice cream to a freezer safe container and place in freezer for around 3 hours to allow the ice cream to set.

I love this ice cream because you never have to really search for the cookies, they're already part of the ice cream, and by some wonderful chance, not all the cookies mix into the ice cream, so you still have the look of the cookies 'n' cream part. It pretty much tastes the same, but I really like to look of it, the soft brown of the ice cream and then the strong contrast of the cookies pieces and the cream. Enjoy!!!