Red Velvet-Berry Cobbler With Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Cobbler Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together cornstarch and 1/2 cup sugar. Toss berries with cornstarch mixture, and spoon into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in red food coloring and vanilla until blended.

Combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir together buttermilk, vinegar, and baking soda in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. (Mixture will bubble.) Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Spoon batter over berry mixture. Place baking dish on top of baking sheet in the oven to catch any over flow from bubbling berries.

Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake topping comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

Serve with Cream Cheese Ice Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream

To make Cream Cheese Ice Cream:

Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat, and whisk in cream cheese and vanilla bean paste until cheese is melted. Cool completely (about 1 hour), stirring occasionally. Place plastic wrap directly on mixture (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Pour mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-qt. electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. (Instructions and times may vary.) Transfer ice cream to an airtight container. Freeze 4 hours before serving.