– 1 cup cream cheese, softened – 1 cup milk – 1 cup heavy cream – 3/4 cup sugar – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blend the cream cheese until smooth: Use a mixer or food processor to blend the softened cream cheese until it's smooth and free of lumps. This should take about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Heat the milk and sugar until the sugar dissolves: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil.
Stir in the cream and vanilla extract: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Slowly add the heavy cream and vanilla extract to the milk mixture, stirring continuously to ensure everything is well mixed.
Mix the cream cheese into the milk mixture: Gradually add the smooth cream cheese to the milk mixture. Use a whisk or blender to mix until the cream cheese is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator: Pour the mixture into a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until it is thoroughly chilled. This helps the flavors to meld together.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker: After chilling, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for churning, which typically takes about 20-25 minutes.
Freeze until firm, then enjoy: Once churned, transfer the ice cream to a lidded container and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm. Scoop and serve your delicious cream cheese ice cream!