Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream

This picture does not do this dessert justice. Check out Ourbestbites.com for a professional picture. Homemade ice cream melts quickly which is what happened here. I didn't think to take a picture until after the quest had eaten and returned to their Color Code Lecture we had as part of our clinic staff party evening. (Yes, I am a blue for those of you who know about color coding. That's why you get details and sometimes their details you don't need...LOL...they are just for me and my memories of good times in life.)

The first time I made this recipe was when I got a pound of fresh cherries in my bountiful basket. I am not a huge cherry lover, but I do love this ice cream

Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream

Recipe by Our Best Bites http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/06/cherry-chocolate-ice-cream/


1 1/2 cups 2% milk (I have used 1 % every time and been happy with the ice cream)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups cherries, pitted and halved or quartered
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 4.5-ounce dark chocolate bar (about 1 cup shavings; you can grate them in your food processor or with a cheese grater or microplane **
(I tried using chocolate chips the first time. If you have to do it too, I recommend using mini chocolate chips. Don't make the mistake I did the first time around and try to make the chocolate chips like shavings; doesn't work so well! :-) It changes the texture of the ice cream too. The second time around we made it with shavings of the candy bar and it was much nicer.)


Combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium until bubbles form around the edges.  Remove from heat.


In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggs thoroughly.  Very slowly, add 1/2 of the hot milk mixture, whisking the eggs constantly.  Return the pan with the remaining milk mixture to the stove top and then whisk the egg and milk mixture back to the saucepan, whisking constantly.  Be careful not to heat the eggs too hot too fast, or they’ll curdle.
Add the heavy cream.  Over medium-low heat and stirring constantly, continue heating the custard mixture to 160 degrees F.  It will start to thicken quickly.


Once ready, remove from heat and add the copped cherries immediately.  Add vanilla and almond extracts as well.  Let the custard cool (you can use an ice bath if you want to speed that process up) and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.


Once chilled, transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions.  While the ice cream is churning, grate the chocolate.  Add the chocolate shavings into the ice cream when there’s just a few minutes left.  If you wait too long and it’s already too thick, just stir them in by hand as you transfer your ice cream into another container.  Freeze for several hours before serving.  Makes 1 1/2 quarts.

**We love to make the ice cream with chunks of brownies in it! I would omit the chocolate bar shavings and just go for big chunks of chewy chocolaty brownies. It is making my mouth water just thinking of it on the pallet.  The night of our party we made the recipe as listed and put it on top of a brownie baked in the ramekin before hand. I like it both on top of the brownie and with the brownie mixed in.