Dark Chocolate Chunk Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream 

This cherry vanilla ice cream is anything but boring: creamy salted double vanilla bean ice cream, dark chocolate chunks, and cherry compote rippled through. Aka one of my favorite ways to use summer cherries!!

This cherry ice cream is made with a custard base, making it perfectly rich and creamy, without being too heavy/cloying. The combo of creamy vanilla ice cream, tart black cherry compote, and bitter dark chocolate is heaven!

Plus, this homemade cherry vanilla ice cream is dairy-free and refined sugar-free!! I used homemade nut milk for the base and sweetened it with honey. However, I also included regular dairy ingredients and honey substitutes so anyone can make this black cherry vanilla ice cream regardless of dietary preferences. 

Ingredients for the BEST Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream

• Cherries
• Dark chocolate
• Egg yolks: The egg yolks in this recipe not only stabilize the ice cream but also give it a rich and creamy mouthfeel that you can’t replicate with anything else.
• Homemade nut milk: A high-fat creamy homemade nut milk is the key to getting this dairy-free cherry vanilla ice cream to taste like it was made with dairy. To replicate the combo of milk and cream that’s used in traditional ice cream, I used a combo of cashews and almonds in my milk-cream hybrid. The creaminess of the cashews perfectly replicates the richness of heavy cream, and the almonds add protein and structure that you would normally get from 2% milk. 
• Honey: Feel free to swap the honey for regular cane sugar.   
• Vanilla extract AND ground vanilla: Love the ground vanilla from Beyond Good – it’s so good haha). Vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste both work as well. 
• Kosher salt: Specifically, Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using Morton kosher salt, reduce the salt by half. Morton is much saltier and denser than Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Kitchen Tools You Need

• A digital scale because it’s the most accurate.
• An ice cream maker (linking the one we’ve had for the past 15 years here that’s phenomenal) or the KitchenAid ice cream attachment which I finally caved and bought (it’s worth it)! 
• Large pot
• Medium glass bowl 
• Whisk
• Flexible rubber spatula 
• Loaf pan or a container to store the ice cream 

How to Make Homemade Ice Cream

Consider this a visual guide – the full recipe and measurements are in the recipe card below!

Prep the Cream

Make the homemade nut milk by blending together 4 cups (910 g) of water with 1 1/2  cups (215 g) of raw cashews and 1 cup (140 g) of raw almonds on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds or until super creamy and smooth. Strain in a nut milk bag and store in a glass jar. It’ll keep well for 5-6 days so feel free to make this ahead of time. 

Prep the Compote

Pit the cherries and cut them in half. If you prefer smaller pieces, quarter the cherries. Add them to a large saute pan or pot, along with the honey and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let the compote cook down for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook the compote until most of the water has evaporated and the juices have thickened into a syrup. Take off the heat, pour into a container, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.

Make the Base

To a large pot, add the cream (or milk and cream if you’re using dairy), honey, ground vanilla, and salt. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer (it should be hot but not boiling). 

Next, temper the eggs (so you don’t make scrambled eggs). Carefully scoop out about 1/2 cup of the cream mixture and whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks. Repeat, adding another 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture to the bowl of yolks. Whisking constantly, carefully pour the egg yolk mixture into the cream. 

Swap the whisk for a spatula and stir the custard mixture constantly as it cooks (still on medium-low) until it thickens and coats the back of the spatula or wooden spoon. It’s easier to see if the custard is at the right stage with a wooden spoon. NOTE: Now that the egg yolks are in the pot, keep the heat gentle and low; otherwise you run the risk of the custard breaking (aka the eggs will scramble). So if you’re new to ice cream making, keep the heat low which will slow down the process and it’ll make it easier to watch. It will take longer, but at least you won’t make any mistakes!

Strain the base through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Place in an ice bath and stir until room temp, then stir in the vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight to chill. 

Churn & Freeze

Pour the chilled base into your ice cream bowl and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine takes about 20-25 minutes to churn up – it should be the consistency of soft serve. Once the ice cream is done churning, add the chopped chocolate and fold it into the ice cream by hand.

Pour the ice cream into your prepared container, layering the compote between the ice cream – I typically do three layers of compote. Ripple the ice cream with a knife, smooth out the top, and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Scoop and serve whenever you’re ready. For perfectly scooped ice cream, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes. HOT TIP: for the best cones, go to your local ice cream shop and buy some cones on the side. They’re so much better than grocery store cones!!

Notes & Tips

• Prep the homemade nut milk and cherry compote ahead of time. It’ll make the ice cream-making process a bit smoother and less time-consuming if you already have these prepped a few days ahead. 
• Chill the ice cream base before churning. Adding the warm ice cream base to the ice cream maker is a recipe for disaster – it won’t churn properly. Let the base chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. 
• Freeze your ice cream bowl at least 16 hours (preferably 24 hours) in advance. Otherwise, it won’t be cold enough to properly churn the ice cream.
• Freeze the ice cream after churning for 4-6 hours, ideally overnight. This is the last stage in the ice cream process – yes you can eat it right after churning but it won’t be the right texture. Freezing helps the ice cream firm up and develop even more flavor.
• If you’re not dairy-free, use the cream and milk measurements included in the recipe. While I prefer using honey in this recipe for multiple reasons, feel free to swap it out for regular granulated cane sugar. 
• Tempering eggs can be a bit scary if you’re new to ice cream making, but it’s super important, otherwise, they’ll scramble in the hot cream (insert sad face emoji). Watch my video to see how I tempered the eggs.
• Have fun with the mix-in’s – crushed up cherry pie, crushed vanilla cookies, etc. will all pair amazing! Fold in any additional mix-in’s along with the chopped chocolate, and stick to using just 1/2 cup otherwise the ice cream won’t hold together well.
• Swap the cherries for fresh strawberries, fresh blackberries, etc. this ice cream will taste great with almost any fruit compote. Quite note, if you want to use blueberries, use frozen wild blueberries, you’ll get the best looking and tasting compote. Fresh blueberries have an odd grey-ish hue when they’re cooked down which isn’t appetizing.

Happy ice cream making! 

-Yasmeen

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