BLOOD ORANGE NO-CHURN ICE CREAM

One bite of this ice cream, and my mind immediately goes to humid summer evenings when I was young. My sister, brother, and I would tuck ourselves downstairs in the only corner of our house that was cool. There, stashed in the freezer, was a box of orange Creamsicles ice cream bars, our summer treat of choice. We would eat them slowly, the cold pops helping us momentarily forget the July sun and our friends’ air-conditioned homes where sleep came easy. This no-churn re-creation is made with blood oranges, which are slightly more bitter than regular oranges. The bitter note offsets the sweetened condensed milk nicely. This ice cream is delicious all alone or paired with Orange Pie or Chocolate Lava Cakes .

One 14-ounce can (396 g) sweetened condensed milk

½ cup blood orange juice

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon triple sec, or other orange liqueur (optional)

2 teaspoons grated blood orange zest

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ounces (57 g) cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups heavy cream

In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, orange juice, vanilla, triple sec, orange zest, and salt until completely combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the cream cheese on medium until smooth. Turn the mixer to low and add the heavy cream in a slow steady stream, mixing until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add half the whipped cream mixture to the sweetened condensed milk mixture and whisk until completely combined. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream mixture until no streaks remain. Pour into a 9-inch loaf pan or Pullman pan with a lid and freeze until firm, 6 hours or, covered, up to 1 week.