Alyssa and Carla

A blog full of recipes, food, DIY and favorites for lovers of all things fun and delicious.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats

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For me, ice cream floats are one of the best introductions to the summer.  I’m always game for a float year round these days, but as a kid they meant outdoor dining and summer vacation and warm evenings.  I’m debating our yearly dessert contribution to the family camping trip next month and this blueberry vanilla bean ice cream float is definitely coming along.  

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats | Alyssa & Carla

Making my own ice cream and topping it off with a sparkling blueberry juice brightens up the classic and makes it a bit healthier too.  (This blueberry sparking juice is made with natural juice and sparkling water- no added sugars!)  It’s the perfect tart accent to creamy, extra vanilla-y ice cream.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats | Alyssa & Carla

To create the ice cream, I started with Jeni’s ice cream base (you might remember it from Alyssa’s chai ice cream).  It’s the most delicious beginning for all sorts of flavors, even something as delicate as vanilla.  I love ice cream bases made with eggs (so tasty), but the result can be a little unpredictable- there’s a few places in the process where things can go wrong.  My method is closer to Alyssa’s interpretation and makes for a fairly simple process and a superb final result.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats | Alyssa & Carla

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats
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for the ice cream
  1. 2 cups whole milk
  2. 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  3. 1 & 1/2 ounces cream cheese (softened and at room temperature)
  4. 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  5. 1 & 1/4 cups heavy cream
  6. 1/2 cup sugar
  7. 1 tablespoon honey
  8. 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  9. 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  10. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the float
  1. vanilla bean ice cream
  2. 4 pack of Izze's Sparkling Blueberry, chilled
for the ice cream
  1. In a small bowl, measure out about 2 tablespoons of the whole milk and combine with the cornstarch. Combine well, making a slurry.
  2. Heat the remainder of the milk, cream, sugar, honey, and light corn syrup over medium heat until boiling. Boil for exactly 4 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and add the cornstarch slurry gradually until blended.
  4. Return to medium heat, bring to a boil and stir for about a minute as the mixture thickens. Stir in vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract and remove from heat.
  5. In a mixer, whisk the cream cheese and salt together until whipped with no bumps. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture until smooth. Continue adding the hot cream mixture until smooth and combined.
  6. Remove bowl from the mixer and set aside to cool. Feel free to cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight as Alyssa suggested. Since I didn't have that much time, I submerged my metal mixing bowl into a shallow ice bath. Stirring every minute or two, my mixture cooled in about 15 minutes.
  7. Add the chilled ice cream mixture to your ice cream maker. Churn for about 25-30 minutes until the ice cream is thoroughly blended and pulling away from the sides of the bowl (about the consistency of a just made milkshake).
  8. Transfer to a serving container. Cover with parchment paper pressed into the surface and freeze at least 4 to 6 hours (I prefer overnight).
for the float
  1. Fill 4 glasses with scoops of the vanilla bean ice cream. Pour Izze's Sparkling Blueberry over the ice cream. Serve immediately with a spoon and a straw.
Notes
  1. Prep your ice cream maker by letting the washed, dry bowl sit in the freezer for at least 24 hours prior to starting the recipe.
Alyssa and Carla https://www.alyssaandcarla.com/
The ice cream here is creamiest vanilla I’ve ever tasted. I love using vanilla bean paste for two reasons.  First, the vanilla bean paste contains all the tiny vanilla beans which taste amazing and look pretty in the final product.  The paste also has a more vanilla-y flavor than using extract alone- my paste/extract combo in this recipe uses paste for a strong vanilla taste with added extract for a slightly less intense and bright vanilla flavor.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats | Alyssa & Carla

Although these flavors are a little more elevated than your typical float, they appeal equally to adults and kids!  We had family visiting for the weekend I made these floats and everyone slurped them down and declared them yummy.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats | Alyssa & Carla

Thank you to Izze for sponsoring this post!

 

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Comments

  1. Yum! I’ll have to keep this recipe handy for when I’m out in Discovery Bay again. It’s the only sunshine I’m getting these days ~ SF has its infamous June Gloom rolling in!

  2. These sound so delicious! What a wonderful idea, thank you for the recipe 🙂 xx

  4. woah, these look incredible! I’m pinning this to make for the 4th of July! Thanks so much for sharing! xx Kristen

  5. Oh yum! I have never seen cream cheese in ice cream, but my motto is cream cheese makes everything better, when I am cooking or baking, so I will have to try this!

  9. WOW!! this look delicious and the perfect summer treat!! I’ll have to try to see if the kids and husband would go for this cause i would!

  10. I am so impressed that this was all homemade! It must taste even more delicious. Your photographs are beautiful as well.

    Christine | DimesandDonuts.com