This no churn blueberry and crème fraîche ice cream is a super simplified version of one of my favorite ice cream recipes from my book, Sweeter off the Vine, and you don’t need any special equipment to make it! I know when I want ice cream, I don’t want to wait a full 24 hours for the bowl of my ice cream maker to freeze. Not to mention the fact that there is usually so much other stuff in my tiny freezer that the bowl doesn’t even fit.

No churn ice cream recipes all have pretty much the same ingredients: heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and whatever flavorings you’re in the mood for. This version swaps a bit of tangy cultured crème fraîche, for the heavy cream which gives the base a bit of tangy richness. The gorgeous blueberry ripple adds bright berry flavor and beautiful color.

The base comes together in no time flat, all you need to do is whip the cream and creme fraiche, then fold it into the sweetened condensed milk. That mixture is layered and swirled with the blueberry sauce in a loaf pan. You do have to wait for the mixture to freeze overnight, so don’t forget to plan ahead. You could substitute just about any berry or stone fruit for the blueberries here in equal quantity.

No Churn Crème Fraîche and Blueberry Ice Cream

Makes about 4 cups

The subtle tang of crème fraîche and sweet blueberry sauce are a perfect pair in this easy to make creamy frozen treat. Substitute any berries or stone fruit you like for the blueberries.

Blueberry Swirl

1 cup/140g blueberries

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Base

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Pinch salt

1 cup/240ml heavy cream, cold

1 cup/225g crème fraiche, cold

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries and sugar with 1 tablespoon water and smash with a potato masher. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook until the blueberries are broken down and the liquid has thickened until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender, then transfer to a heat proof container and refrigerate until completely cold.

When the blueberry mixture is cold, make the base.

To make the base: In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

In a separate large bowl combine the heavy cream and crème fraiche and use an electric mixer to whip the mixture to stiff peaks.

Stir a large spoonful of the cream into the condensed milk to lighten it, then add the remaining cream and fold it until just combined.

To assemble: Spoon 1/3 of the base into a loaf pan, then spoon 1/3 of the blueberry mixture over the top. Use a skewer to swirl the blueberry into the base. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining base and blueberries. Loosely cover the pan then freeze until firm, 6 hours or overnight.

In the heat of summer, I am always looking for fun low (or no) cook ways to make and enjoy a little dessert. Give me all of your icebox cakes, no bake bars, and no bake cheesecakes! No bake cheesecake has all of the rich cream cheese flavor of its baked counterpart, but it is a bit lighter in texture and so easy to make. There are no water baths to fuss with and no worry about the top splitting on you.

This no bake cheese cake is a great base for all sorts of summer fruit, but it would also be delicious with caramel or chocolate drizzled over the top instead. This version uses a heap of gorgeous fresh blueberries.

The salty pretzel and nutty browned butter crust comes together quickly too, no baking required. It also ensures that the whole dessert is nice and balanced, and not too sweet. For a sweeter version feel free to substitute graham cracker or biscoff cookie crumbs for the preztels. You could even skip browning the butter in favor of just melting it, but the browned butter adds a ton of great flavor so I wouldn’t!

The topping is a combination of fresh and cooked blueberries, the cooked ones make it a little saucy and help the blueberries stick together instead of sliding all over the place. I topped the whole thing with a few small leaves from my basil plant that look little little blueberry leaves. Mint would work too but the herbs are totally optional.

No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

Salty pretzels make a perfect base for this not to sweet cheesecake, but you could use graham crackers or biscoff cookie crumbs for a sweeter version - use gluten free cookies to make this desert for your gluten avoiding friends and family. The blueberry topping is partially cooked which creates some sauciness that helps the blueberries stick together, but if that’s a bridge too far for lazy summer cooking, you can just pile the top with lots of fresh blueberries. They may roll of when you slice it though!

Crust

175g/ 1 1/2 cups finely ground pretzels

50g/ 1/4 cup granulated sugar

170g/12 tablespoons unsalted butter

Filling

450g/ 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

100g/ 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract

240ml/ 1 cup heavy cream, cold

Topping

490g/ 3 1/2 cups blueberries

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Mint or basil leaves if desired

To make the crust: Combine the pretzels and sugar in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook the butter while scraping the bottom and sides of the pan occasionally with a rubber spatula. The butter will foam, then the solids will turn deep golden brown and smell nutty.

Once the butter has browned pour it over the pretzels in the bowl then stir to combine. Let the mixture cool for a minute or two then pour it into a 9-inch pie pan.

Carefully press it evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the pan, a 1/3 cup measure is a great tool for this. Set the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until combined. Turn the mixer up to medium and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure even mixing.

Add the vanilla and lemon and stir to combine.

Switch to the whisk attachment and with the mixer on low, add the heavy cream. Turn the mixer up to medium high and whip until the mixture comes to stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.

Spoon the filling into the chilled crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate for about 8 hours or overnight.

To make the topping: When you are ready to serve the cheesecake put 280g/2 cups of the blueberries in a large bowl and set aside. Combine 140g/1 cup of the blueberries, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook until the blueberries have burst and released their juices, about 2 minutes.

In a small bowl stir the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, slowly pour it into the blueberry mixture in the pan while stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly for 45 seconds, until thick and glossy.

Pour the mixture over the blueberries in the bowl and stir to combine. Pour the blueberries over the chilled cheesecake and scatter the remaining 70g/ 1/2 cup blueberries over the top. Sprinkle mint or basil over the top and let the pie sit for a few minutes before slicing. Store leftovers in the fridge for a few days.