Fairly Awesome Ice Cream: Roquefort and Honey Ice Cream

Remember the Stinky Cheese Man? The book filled with "Fairly Stupid" renditions of traditional children's fairytales? It must have been one of my favorite books when I was little. I mean no one could catch Stinky Cheese Man because he smelled soooo bad, that stuff is what kids live for!

However, I am not a child anymore and sadly I have lost my copy of the Stink Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales, yet the stories live on in my heart, hiding until certain circumstances recall them to memory. For example, when I bought the cheese for my Roquefort and Honey Ice Cream, I couldn't help but think that my ice cream would run away when I made it and that no one would want it because it was so stinky. 

However, I was pleasently surprised when I made the ice cream to taste that the strong "bitey" cheese flavor from the Roquefort was mild and not stinky at all. In fact, it was quite pleasant when paired with honey in creamy dessert form and fantastically delicious when drizzled with additional warm honey and topped with candied nuts. It wasn't Fairly Stupid at all, it was Fairly Awesome! and quite gourmet. In fact it might be a dessert that you need to try.  I promise your jaw won't because of the smell but rather because you are stunned by how yummy it is.

Roquefort-Honey Ice Cream

*adapted from David Lebovitz Perfect Scoop

Ingredients

• 1/2 C good honey
• 4 ounces Roquefort cheese
• 1 C whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 C heavy cream

Directions
1. Crumble the cheese into a medium bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top of it.

2. Warm the honey in a small saucepan, then set aside.

3. Whisk the four egg yolk together in a medium bowl, then set aside.

4. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl or in the sink.

 

5. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan, till steaming but not boiling. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks whisking vigorously ass you add it. Then pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan.

6. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until the the mixture coats your spatula to the point that when you run your finger down it the custard does not run back together. This will be a faster process than with most ice creams since there is no sugar. *Note: Be careful not to cook the eggs! If this happens, and you will know that it happens because there will be clumps in your milk, immediately blend the mixture in a blender or food processor to get it smooth again.

7. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir into the cheese until almost completely smooth. (Leaving small chunks of un-melted cheese is actually quite nice in the finished product) Stir in the cream and honey, then stir until cool over the ice bath.

8. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap leaving a slight opening at the top and chill in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or overnight. Churn in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions.

*Note: The ice cream tastes great when drizzled with warm honey and topped with candied walnuts or pecans :)