It’s cherry season and while I love eating these rich juicy gems fresh as they are, I also love incorporating them into smoothie bowls, pie, and of course ice cream. With an overabundance of sweet and bright cherries in stores, and it being National Ice Cream Month, I decided to create a chocolate ice cream mixed with poached cherries. And let me tell you it’s delicious, and tastes just like chocolate covered cherries, even better! 
The chocolate ice cream is smooth and decadent, yet not overly rich and dense, which comes from using high quality unsweetened cocoa. It really makes all the difference, and there’s no need to add more chocolate flavor with pieces once churned. The best part of this ice cream are the chopped cherries that remain soft, and add a nice chew against the frozen, creamy texture. The consistency of this chocolate cherry ice cream is like soft serve, with a more refined chocolate flavor. This is the kind of ice cream that can make any day so much better, and might possibly convert chocolate haters into chocolate ice cream lovers. The only thing I would do differently next time, would be to make double the batch.
Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream
Ingredients {Makes 1 Quart}
Poached Cherries
2 cups – Fresh Cherries
2 1/4 cups – Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 cups – Water
1 tablespoon – Cherry Liqueur
Ice Cream Base
Poached Cherries
1 3/4 cups – Heavy Cream
1 cup – 2% Milk
1/4 teaspoon – Salt
1/4 cup – Natural Cocoa Powder {measured then sifted}
3/4 cup – Granulated Sugar
5 large – Egg Yolks
1 teaspoon – Pure Vanilla Extract
Recipe {Adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones}
Poach cherries, by bringing the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer, add the cherries and liquor, and cook until fruit is soft, blister and pop slightly {about 5-7 minutes}.
Let the cherries cool completely in the syrup, and refrigerate until the ice cream is ready to churn. Drain the cooled cherries, saving the syrup and squeeze out the pits. Chop into 1/4 inch pieces, and chill until ready to add into ice cream.
Make the ice cream base by, whisking the yolks, just to break them up in a medium heat-proof bowl. Add in the remaining sugar and whisk until smooth, set aside.
To infuse the milk and cream, combine the cocoa with the remaining sugar, then whisk in 1/4 cup of the milk until smooth. Add more milk if necessary. Whisk in the cream, remaining milk and salt in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until the cream mixture begins to bubble around the edge, then reduce to medium.
Uncover pan, heat over medium-high heat, then reduce it to medium heat once the mixture hits a slight simmer. Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the yolk mixture, while whisking. Add one more ladle of the hot mixture to the yolks, making sure to whisk quickly so you don’t curdle the eggs. With a wooden spoon, stir the cream mixture as you slowly add in the egg-cream mixture to the saucepan.
Cook the ice cream base over medium heat, stirring constantly until it has thickened, and creates a clear path on the wooden spoon {about 1 to 2 minutes}. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container, over an ice-water bath, and discard the mint. Using a clean spatula, stir the base frequently until its has cooled to room temperature and cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Freeze the ice cream, by adding the vanilla into the chilled base, stirring until combined. Freeze in your ice cream machine following your manufacturer’s directions. While the ice cream churns, put the container that you’ll keep your ice cream into the freezer. The ice cream is ready once it reaches the consistency of soft-serve, or the paddle creates a distinctive path as it churns. Fold in the chopped cherries. Enjoy right away, or place in your container, and freeze until later.
