Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

By Rachel // July 9, 2012 // 227 comments //

Ever since getting my ice cream maker last year, Ive been hesitant to make the custard based ice cream. You know, the one that requires mixing of eggs to make the base for the ice cream. Also known as French style ice cream. I don’t know why I was intimidated by it. Truly. I kept taking the easy way out making Philadelphia ice cream instead… a non-custard based ice cream. I loved how easy it was but everywhere I looked, people raved about the custard based style. Now I know why…

It’s amazing! So creamy. It hardens but not nearly to the same point it’s non-egg cousin does. The flavor is out of this world. And honestly, it’s not that hard at all. Sure, it takes a little more work to create but the end result is completely worth it. I highly doubt I’ll ever go back to the non-egg version again. Okay, don’t quote me on that because I didn’t promise but truly it’s just 1000x better with that creamy custard base.

This ice cream, though the name is different, is based off of that famous Ben n Jerry’s flavor. The recipe in their book calls for uncooked yolks being mixed into the ice cream base. I wasn’t thrilled with that idea, so much so that I spent some time trying to research if it was really okay to do or not. During my search I found this. That made the decision for me.

So I took the idea of that famous ice cream and combined it with David Lebovitz’s vanilla ice cream, with some slight alterations. I don’t have vanilla beans so my method changed ever so slightly from the original. I’d love to know how beans would change the flavor, more intense perhaps?

This is an amazingly creamy vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate chunks and ripe bing cherries throughout. Incredible. And since cherries are in season, you should make this. Immediately.

Print Recipe

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Prep Time15

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cherries, Ice cream

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 C whole milk
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 C heavy cream
1 pinch salt
1 vanilla bean or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
1/2 C cherries stemmed, pitted and chopped
4 oz dark chocolate

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, 1 cup of cream, 3/4 cup of sugar, salt and 1/4 tsp vanilla. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Beat egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle cream mixture into beaten yolks, whisking constantly. Pour roughly 1/3 of your hot liquid into the eggs. Transfer egg mixture back to the saucepan. Return to medium heat, cooking until thickened and lightly coats a a spatula.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Stir in remaining cream and vanilla. Stir over an ice bath until cool.
Cover and chill overnight.
When you are ready to continue, chop room temperature dark chocolate.
Remove cherry pits and quarter. Toss cherries with 2 1/2 tbsp sugar. Chill, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Begin churning your ice cream. Add egg and cream mixture to your frozen mixer bowl. Mix according to manufacturer's directions. Continue churning until ice cream has thickened significantly.
Stir in chopped chocolate and cherries, discarding cherry liquid.
Transfer to a freezer safe container. Freeze overnight for best results. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes prior to scooping.