Cranberry Walnut Ice Cream

Directions

1. Ice Cream Base
2. Warm 1 cup milk, sugar, corn syrup, cream, and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan. Once warm (do not boil) remove from heat, cover and let steep at room temperature for one hour. When steeping is almost complete, fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth.
3. After steeping is complete, remove cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon. Add remaining milk and begin rewarming. Bring milk mixture to a boil. Cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves, 4 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and off heat gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened (draw a line on a spoon), about 1 minute. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a gallon bag, seal tightly, and set baggie in the ice water bath, cover with some ice, and let stand until cold, about 20 minutes or longer.
5. Once ice cream base is chilled, pour ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Sprinkle a layer of cranberries and walnuts into a plastic container (or other container for ice cream) and lightly spoon a layer of ice cream on top. Continue to alternate layers of fruit and nuts and ice cream until the container is full.
6. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and close with an airtight lid. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

1. Soaked cranberries
2. Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan. Add the cranberries and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until all but about 1 Tablespoon of the syrup has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the whiskey. Cool completely before adding to ice cream. Cranberries can be prepared up to a day in advance.