Black Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream

Black Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream is the indulgent dessert that you’ve been craving. Filled with lots of fresh cherries, chocolate chips, and creamy goodness in every bite. Serve this black cherry ice cream for dinner parties or as a treat to cool off with. 

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Black Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream

If you can’t tell by all of the ice cream recipes that I have on my blog, ice cream is my weakness. I can pass up just about every other dessert, but if there’s ice cream-it’s over! :)During the summer months, there is usually a constant supply of homemade ice cream in my freezer. Every summer, I set out to try every ice cream recipe that I have bookmarked over the cold winter months. This was one of the first ice cream recipes that I set out to recreate as soon as the cherry season arrived. I’m a huge fan of the chocolate and cherry combo, so when I took my first bite of Graeters Black Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, I was in heaven. I had to recreate it in my own kitchen!

Loaded with chunks of fresh cherries and rich chocolate chunks in every bite, this ice cream is a cherry lover’s dream! As soon as I tasted one bite, I knew it was a winner. In fact, Andrew declared this ice cream his absolute favorite (of course; he said that about the Mocha Chip as well! 😉 ). If you haven’t bought an ice cream maker yet, you really should! Nothing is as good as homemade!

What Kind of Cherries To Use 

We use black cherries for this recipe, but you can use a variety of other cherries depending on what you like the best. Bing Cherries are lovely and flavorful options as well. You should taste test a variety of cherries to see what you like, then add your favorite to the ice cream.

Tips for Making Homemade Ice Cream 

• Never put too many ingredients in the ice cream maker. If you overfill it, it can’t do its job efficiently. So, fill it 2/3 full for best results. 
• Always store ice cream in the coldest area of your freezer. This will prevent the freezer burn that you normally get when you store it in the door. 
• Keep a close watch on your ice cream as it’s churning. It may be ready sooner than your machine says it will. 

Best Containers To Store Ice Cream In

Ice cream is best enjoyed when it is fresh, so it’s important to store it properly so it lasts. There are a few different containers that you can store ice cream in, and each has its own benefits. Here are the four best containers to store ice cream in:

1. Plastic Containers – Plastic containers are a great option for storing ice cream because they are airtight and freezer-safe. This means that the ice cream will stay fresh for longer and won’t get freezer burn.
2. Glass Jars – Glass jars are also a great option for storing ice cream. They are airtight, and you can see what’s inside them, which makes it easy to know when you need to replenish your supply.
3. Zipper Bags – Zipper bags are a great option for storing small amounts of ice cream. They are airtight and freezer-safe, so your ice cream will stay fresh.
4. Ice Cream Tub – An ice cream tub is a traditional way to store large quantities of ice cream. The tub is airtight and will keep your ice cream from melting for a long time.

Preventing Ice Crystals on Homemade Ice Cream 

Freezer burn is a pain and makes your ice cream go bad so quickly.

• To start, you need to make sure that your ice cream is stored at zero degrees or less to ensure it’s cold enough for the ice cream. 
• Always use a container that is airtight. 
• Keep a piece of plastic wrap on top of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. 
• Never keep the ice cream in the door. 

Ingredients

• Pitted sweet cherries
• White granulated sugar
• Whole milk
• Heavy cream
• Large egg yolks
• Pure vanilla extract
• Semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• Canola oil

How to Make Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream

First Step: Begin by mixing the cherries and 1/4 cup of the white sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat for around 8 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. The sauce should have thickened some while heating. Allow it to cool. 

Second Step: Put a medium-sized bowl in a container that has ice water. 

Third Step: Using medium heat, warm the milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Heat until you notice steam appearing, and the temperature reaches 175 degrees. 

Fourth Step: During the time the milk is warming up, combine the yolks and white sugar in a separate bowl. Whisk around 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks in order to temper them. 

Fifth Step: Add the tempered yolk into the hot milk mixture. Continue to heat the custard using medium heat until it’s hot and reaches around 180 – 185 degrees. 

Sixth Step: Pour the custard into the bowl that has been chilling over ice and let cool. Stir occasionally for ten minutes. Take the custard out of the ice bath and drizzle in vanilla. Cover it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours up to 24 hours. 

Seventh Step: Right before churning the ice cream, put the ice cream in a medium sized bowl. Heat over a saucepan with water that is barely simmering. Heat the mixture until the chocolate has melted and can be whisked smooth. Add in the oil and stir. Pour the mixture into a ziplock bag. 

Eighth Step: Put the ice cream mixture into the ice cream canister. You’ll need to churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Add in the cherry mixture once the ice cream resembles whipped cream. Then cut the corner off the bag of chocolate and drizzle into the ice cream. Continue to churn until the ice cream is the texture of soft serve. 

Ninth Step: Put the ice cream into an airtight container. Cover it well and freeze for 3 hours or until firm. 

Preventing Ice Crystals on Homemade Ice Cream

Now that the summer heat is here, it’s time to start enjoying delicious homemade ice cream! However, one of the main challenges with making your own ice cream is preventing those pesky ice crystals from forming. Here are a few tips to help you out:

• Use a high-quality dairy product. The better the quality of the dairy, the less likely it is to form ice crystals.
• Make sure all of your ingredients are cold before beginning to make the ice cream. This will help keep the temperature low and prevent crystals from forming.
• Add a little bit of alcohol to your mixture. Alcohol doesn’t freeze as solid as water and can help keep your ice cream smooth and creamy.
• Use an ice cream maker. This will help keep the mixture moving and prevent crystals from forming.

Black Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Servings: 1 quart

Black cherry ice cream loaded with chunks of fresh cherries and rich chocolate chunks.

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Ingredients 

• 3 cups about 1 pound pitted sweet cherries, quartered
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons canola oil

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Instructions

• In a small saucepan, stir together the cherries and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Simmer over medium heat about 8 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly. Let cool.
  
• Set a medium sized bowl over a large container of ice water.
  
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk, cream and 1/2 cup sugar stirring occasionally, until steam appears and the liquid is hot (175 degrees) about 5 minutes.
  
• When the milk mixture is cooking, in a separate bowl, whisk the yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar together until smooth. Slowly whisk about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper them. Then slowly whisk the tempered yolk mixture back into the remaining hot milk mixture. Continue to cook the custard mixture over medium heat until it is very hot but not simmering (180-185 degrees). Immediately pour custard into bowl set in the ice bath and let cool, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Remove the custard mixture from the ice bath. Stir in vanilla extract. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold (40 degrees), at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
  
• A few minutes before you plan to churn the ice cream, place semisweet chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until chocolate is melted and whisk until smooth. Stir in oil and transfer to a ziploc bag; set aside.
  
• Pour the mixture into the ice cream canister and churn following the manufacturer’s instructions until the mixture resembles the consistency of thick whipped cream. Add the cherry mixture. A Snip the corner of the ziploc bag that the chocolate is in, and while the machine is running, slowly drizzle the chocolate into the ice cream. After chocolate is added, continue churning until the mixture resembles soft served ice cream.
  
• Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container. Cover the container and freeze the ice cream until it is firm, about 3 hours.

Author: Laura

More Ice Cream Recipes:

I have many tasty ice cream recipes for you to try. Let’s take a look:

Bourbon Cherry Ice Cream – This is another favorite cherry ice cream recipe that I adore. Check it out.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich – You are going to be loving everything about this ice cream sandwich. So yummy!

Easy Smores Dessert Ice Cream – If you want a dessert that is going to rock your world, try this ice cream.

No Churn Berry Ice Cream – Made with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, it’s a refreshing and tasty dessert option.