Description
Cherry vanilla is a classic ice cream flavour. This ice cream has an extra dose of vanilla, sweet cherries and cruncky shards of chocolate crackle. Of course, you can omit the chocolate. If you do, I want your share.
Ingredients
- 1 large vanilla bean
- 2 cups heavy cream (35%)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups pitted & quartered sweet cherries
- 4oz dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
Instructions
- Infuse the cream: Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds. Place the pod, seeds, cream and milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and heat the mixture until bubbles form around the edge of the pot. Don’t let the mixture boil. Turn off the heat, cover, let steep for 20 minutes, then remove the vanilla pod and rewarm the mixture over medium heat.
- Make the custard: In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar and vanilla bean paste together until smooth. Pouring in a slow, steady stream, whisk 1 ladle of hot cream mixture into the yolks. Add a second ladle of hot cream, whisking all the time. Whisk the warmed yolks into the pot of cream and cook over medium-high until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Allow the custard to cool. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until cold.
- Freeze the cherry pieces: Spread the cherry pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking pan lined with parchment. Don’t let the pieces overlap. Cover and place in the freezer until you’re ready to churn the ice cream.
- Make the chocolate crackle: Line a pan with parchment and set aside. Melt the chocolate either in a heat proof pan over simmering water or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Using a parchment cone or a small plastic sandwich bag with the corner snipped, pipe 1/4-inch wide lines of melted chocolate onto the parchment. Refrigerate until hardened and then snap the chocolate into 1- to 2-inch lengths.
- Churn the ice cream: About 20 minutes before you’re ready to churn the ice cream, place the custard in the freezer to get extra cold. Don’t allow it to freeze. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer directions. About 10 minutes before the ice cream is finished, churn in the cherries. When they are churned in, add the chocolate crackle pieces. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and chill until firm.
Notes
Don’t throw that steeped vanilla pod out. Let it dry and then use it to make vanilla sugar.