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Cherry Ice Cream with dark chocolate

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A jar filled with homemade fresh Cherry Ice Cream with dark chocolate chips

This summer churn up a batch of our homemade fresh Cherry Ice Cream with dark chocolate!

Hey cherry lovers! This recipe is for you, and me too of course. I’m a cherry lover from way back. This week we’re focusing on cherry recipes and to get started I’ve revived an old post you might have missed. We’ve got new photos, new taste testers, and a brand new bottle of Kirsch. Fresh cherries soaked in cherry brandy folded into an eggless ice cream filled with more fresh cherries, then blended with dark chocolate. What more is there to discuss? This stuff is cherry-licious!
A bottle of cherry brandy and fresh cherries

Adding small amounts of liquor to eggless ice cream helps create a softer, scoop-able consistency.

Custard style ice creams made with egg yolks don’t freeze as hard as eggless ice cream recipes.  Adding just a touch of liquor like this cherry brandy not only adds a delicious punch of flavor, it helps create a better scoop-able consistency. If you don’t generally imbibe or prefer not to buy a whole bottle of Kirsch, it’s all good. This recipe will be fine without it. However if you do enjoy a little brandy from time to time, this French cherry brandy is wonderful served cold. It’s also terrific added to recipes like this ice cream, or Black Forest Cake and Cherries Jubilee. Check out this article by cookbook author David Lebovitz for more about Kirsch.
A tin filled with fresh cherry ice cream with dark chocolate chips

During the long, hot, humid, dog days of summer, it’s hard to beat a nice cold scoop of homemade ice cream!

Now days it almost feels like cheating because homemade ice cream is so easy to make.  When I was young, somebody (usually the kids) had to hand churn the ice cream maker while Dad added salt and ice to the tub.  In later years we graduated to an electric ice cream maker, but you still had to add salt and ice.  Now all you have to do it mix it up, pour it in and turn it on!  Amazing! Check out the link at the bottom of this post for information about our favorite ice cream maker.
a bowl of fresh cherry ice cream and a bowl of cherries

Cherries and chocolate are the perfect match.

There are two full cups of fresh cherries in this ice cream recipe so the consistency is slightly different than a dairy only recipe. That’s not a bad thing either. Along with the pureed cherries, there are chunks of chopped cherries and chopped dark chocolate. You can use dark chocolate chips, as I have done here, or chop good quality chocolate bars. We prefer dark chocolate in this recipe, but semisweet or bittersweet are both good too. If using chocolate chips I recommend giving them a rough chop, or if you can find dark chocolate mini-chips, they’re perfect!
A strainer of fresh cherries

Fresh cherries are the base 0f this luscious, eggless ice cream.

Don’t skimp on the cherries in this recipe! Some of the cherries are steeped in hot milk and sugar for 30 minutes before being pureed and added to the base. Another 1/2 cup of diced cherries are soaked overnight in cherry brandy then added to the mixture before churning. This is a full-on cherry flavored frozen treat you’ll remember long after you’ve taken the last bite. Enjoy!
A jar filled with scoops of fresh cherry ice cream with dark chocolate chips

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A baking pan filled with homemade fresh cherry ice cream with dark chocolate chips

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PRINT THE RECIPE!

Cherry Ice Cream with dark chocolate

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 d 1 hr
Yield: 8
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pitted ripe cherries, chopped, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Kirsch, cherry brandy
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup chopped good quality dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips, rough chopped

Instructions

  • Place 1/2 cup of the chopped cherries in a small bowl.  Add the Kirsch, cover and refrigerate until time to make the ice cream.
  • In a medium saucepan combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups chopped cherries, milk, 1/4 cup heavy cream, sugar and salt.  Heat on medium/low until the mixture just begins to boil. Turn off the heat, cover and steep for 30 minutes.
  • Puree the milk and cherry mixture with a stick/immersion blender or regular blender. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of cream. Pour the mixture into a container, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
  • When ready to make the ice cream, stir in the vanilla and the Kirsch soaked cherries.  Churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.  When the ice cream is almost finished, add the chopped chocolate and process until distributed.  Transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container with a lid. Freeze for several hours or overnight for a firmer consistency.

Check out our favorite highly rated, easy to use ice cream maker!

Cuisinart’s new mixing paddle makes frozen desserts in 20 minutes or less. With a large capacity bowl that makes up to 1-1/2-quarts of ice cream. The double insulated freezer bowl eliminates the need for ice and salt like the old days. This ice cream maker comes with a limited 3-year warranty. Click on the photo for more information or to purchase from Amazon.

Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. 

 

Here are a few more ice cream recipes you might enjoy!

 

What a treat! Chocolate Chocolate Chunk-Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream made with a luscious and rich chocolate ice cream, chunks of semi-sweet chocolate and a tart raspberry swirl. Click HERE to get the recipe.

 

Rocky Road Ice Cream – A rich, smooth chocolaty bowl of deliciousness blended with fluffy mini-marshmallows and chopped roasted almonds. A great treat with terrific textures and flavor. Click HERE to get the recipe.

 

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream – don’t let summer pass you by without making this luscious, rich vanilla ice cream with ribbons of fresh strawberry sauce and crushed shortbread cookies throughout. Click HERE to get the recipe.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Tricia

Originally posted July 2013, updated June 2019

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31 Comments

    • Tricia says

      Well Donna you can post as many comments as you want! 2, 3 I don't mind! I have an extra spoon when you're ready. I don't know why we haven't had more visitors being so close to DC, with an extra room for guests, etc. Come see us!

      reply to this comment >

  19. Mary says

    Morning, Tricia! This looks sooooooo delicious! I adore chocolate and cherries, so this is a given for me. Of course, I might be guilty of drizzling some dark chocolate sauce right over the top as well. Tell me again why we can't be neighbors? Oh, that's right, I'm so stalker-like it would scare you. 😉

    reply to this comment >