Dark Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream with Almonds
A few years ago, I posted an ice cream recipe, noting the weirdness of the fact that I hadnd't posted one before that day. How about the fact that I haven't posted one since?
So weird.
Although, this summer this has been a reason I haven't posted one. I still have that tendency to forget to measure stuff. I can't really share perfection if I can't swear to how I got there, right? I also can't share the DISASTER that was the attempt at S'mores Oreos Ice Cream.
I mean, DISASTER. It tasted fine, but the consistency was super weird. It was so weird that when I finally put the stuff in the sink so it could go down the disposal, it wouldn't melt. It sat there for hours mocking me. This oddly chalky ice cream defied the laws of nature and would. not. melt.
So I never posted the recipe.
That sad day that I stared at not-melting ice cream was about a month ago and since then I've been dreaming of that original ice cream recipe that I posted. I need to make it. Soon. And I need to follow the directions exactly because I won't be able to handle it if I end up with another dud on my hands.
Good thing I know for a fact this stuff isn't a dud.
Dark Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream with Almonds
1 1/2 cups pitted and halved cherries
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 cup light rum (or water -- rum is better, but water works)
1 1/2 cups whole milk (or heavy cream, if you're feeling REALLY decadent)
3 large egg yolks
1 cup dark chocolate chips, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup almond slivers
1. Start by preparing your cherries. You're going to put all of the cherries in a large saucepan. Add the 1 tablespoon of white sugar and the rum and cook them over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until you have a fun syrup and some soft cherries. It takes about 15-20 minutes. Throw the cherries in the fridge once they are done.
2. Place the 1/4 cup of white sugar and milk in a new medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring ocassionally with a whisk, until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. Place the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl and whisk them together. Take 1/2 cup of the warm milk and sugar mixture out of the saucepan and very slowly add it to the egg yolks. Keep whisking the whole time you're adding. Make sure you're adding the warm milk slowly because you don't want your eggs to turn into scrambled eggs.
4. Now you're going to add the eggs into your milk-filled saucepan. Keep the heat on medium and slowly add the eggs into the saucepan, whisking the whole time. Keep stirring and stirring and heat until your milk is at least 170 degrees. If you don't have a candy thermometer, place a spoon in the milk. It's done when you pull the spoon out and it stays coated with milk.
5. Remove what is soon to be ice cream from the heat.
8. Add the butter and 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips. Stir until everything is melty and smooth and perfect.
9. Stir in the heavy cream and almond extract. Take a second to enjoy how fantastic your kitchen smells while you're doing it.
10. Refrigerate the milk mixture until cool, about two hours.
11. Pour the cooled milk mixture into your ice cream maker and turn that sucker on. Let it go until it is super thick.
12. Once you clearly have a chocolate almond ice cream thing happening in your ice cream maker, add in the cherries, almond slivers. and remaining 1 cup of dark chocolate chips. Either let your ice cream maker mix them in or use a spoon. I'm not going to judge no matter which way you do it.
13. Toss the bowl in the freezer for at least two hours so that the ice cream can fully set.
14. You're welcome. That is all I have to say about that.
Recipe