Prep the cream

1. 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

1. 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

1. Infuse the milk. 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). 
2. Temper the eggs. 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. 
3. Cook the custard. 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!
4. Strain, ice bath, and chill. 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, Enjoy

1. Churn the ice cream and fold in the chocolate. 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.
2. Layer and ripple through the compote, freeze, and enjoy. Pour the ice cream into your prepared container, layering the compote between the ice cream – I typically do three layers of compote. I use about 3/4 of the compote total – save the rest for spooning over the ice cream when serving, stir into lemonade, or use for my hibiscus refresher. 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!!