Making ice cream is one of those things you have to try to understand how truly amazing it is...and easy. This Philadelphia-style homemade sour cherry ice cream is stupid simple and absolutely delicious. And outside of sour cherry pie, I can't think of a better use for sour cherries. So let's bust out the ice cream maker!
There is two main bases for ice cream (excluding no-churn) – something I did not know until I started making my own. Custard base – which is , and is the more traditional American type of ice cream (and super rich and creamy). And Philadelphia-style, which is the eggless ice cream recipe base, made with only cream and milk and sugar.
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How do you make homemade ice cream?
There's three ways to make ice cream if you include no-churn, which I am...
French style ice cream, which is custard-based with sugar, egg yolks, milk, and cream. This is a great base that I use for a lot of ice creams, like my browned butter caramel ice cream. And while this considered a french technique for making ice cream, this is largely what you will find included in all ice cream recipes.
Then there is something called Philadelphia-style ice cream, and eggless ice cream recipe, and what I use for this sour cherry ice cream recipe. A really delicious thing and so simple that to be honest, I thought it was gonna suck. I mean, basically you just heat up heavy cream (some recipes call for milk as well) with sugar until the sugar dissolves and then chill it before putting into the machine.
After trying philadelphia style ice cream, I can honestly say I cannot tell the difference. So much so, that I have created other ice cream recipes with this base, like cereal milk ice cream. Maybe the texture is slightly less creamy (if you make it plain)…maybe. But since I added vanilla bean and sour cherry puree I could not tell even a little bit.
Last would be no-churn, which is by far the simplest of all ice cream recipes, using sweetened condensed milk, folded with whipped heavy cream and best of all, no ice cream maker. This no-churn blueberry ice cream recipe couldn't be easier.
Ingredients
To make Philadelphia-style sour cherry ice cream you really don't need too many ingredients.
- Heavy cream for richness
- Whole milk. While the idea of making this richer by only using cream sounds appealing, it actually doesn't work that way...it becomes grainy, so a little bit of milk is neccesary. But not in equal measure, you don't want too much water in the base, or you'll end up with heavily crystallized ice cream.
- Sugar for both the ice cream base and for the cherry compote
- Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. I use paste, because I always have it, and also because less water content, again.
- A touch of salt
- Sour cherries. Sour cherries have a crazy short season, I know, but they really so delicious, and I have seen them available frozen (which can you can totally use for this)
- Lemon juice to make the cherry compote
Do I have to have an ice cream maker?
Long answer: yes, for every ice cream recipe that is NOT no-churn, you will need an ice cream maker. But good news is that you don't have to get one that costs a fortune. This is the one I have and it is expensive, I got it as a wedding present. I adore this machine, it is so simple, does a great job and in my opinion, the ice cream isn't so icy - like no ice crystals.
But this one also made by Cuisinart and is way less expensive AND I know two people who have this one and love it as much as I love mine. And you can get even less expensive here, still electric and it has great reviews. Mine stores easily on a shelf in my basement and I keep the freezer bowl in my deep freezer - or I run to my mom's and use hers lol. So this is my official recommendation to you to get an ice cream maker...you won't be sorry, especially when you taste the difference home made makes.
Short answer: no, you can borrow from a friend. If not that, then you won't be able to make this and all the other wonderful ice creams I am going to share with you.
How long does it take to make ice cream?
Well, you make the base with heat and then get it really f'ing cold when you put into the ice cream maker. Then set it up properly in the freezer after churning for a while. So it a takes kind of long time. I make my base one day. Then churn the next morning and it is ready for consumption after dinner that day. That doesn't of course factor in the 50 tastings I do with a spoon while it is churning and while it is setting up.
Tips for success
- Since this is an eggless ice cream recipe, you will want to make sure to use heavy cream not half and half, for richness.
- Make sure the sugar is properly dissolved in the cream and milk base
- Don't puree the compote completely. In fact you don't have to puree it at all, and you definitely want some bits of cherry in throughout.
Equipment
- Ice cream maker
- Food processor optional
Ingredients
For the cherries
- 2 cups Sour cherries (fresh or frozen) pitted and loosely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup of sugar
- pinch of salt
For the ice cream base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the cherries, ½ cup of sugar and the lemon juice in a saucepan and cook until cherries cook down and give off their juices, it will be like a compote. You can puree this for like four seconds if you like, to make smoother, but not necessary. Chill this overnight.
- Next, put one cup of the heavy cream, one cup of whole milk, the vanilla bean paste or extract, the sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan and gently cook until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture – DO NOT BOIL, cream can separate when boiled and it is gross. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining cream. Chill this overnight separate from the cherries.
- When totally chilled, put the cream into the ice cream maker and begin churning (follow the ice cream maker instructions), after about 8 minutes slowly add the cherry compote mixture to the ice cream maker and continue to churn until it is thickened and creamy – keep what you don’t’ eat right out the machine in the freezer.
