Deliciously decadent Cherry Ice Cream made with a Mascarpone base… Swirled through with candied cherries and shards of dark chocolate.
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Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone – A keeper of a recipe
Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone is the perfect recipe to celebrate cherry season. Depending on where you are in the world, the cherry season will vary in timing… However, it usually falls early to mid-summer.
This particular Cherry Ice Cream recipe was originally published on the blog in July 2013… But as all great recipes should, it has stood the test of time and is now upgraded with a recipe card.
It is decadent, rich and creamy from its Mascarpone base… Swirled through with plenty of fruity, homemade candied cherries and dappled with additional dark chocolate pieces… What’s not to love?!
The Traditional Cherry Orchards of Kent
I live in Kent, UK, which is also known as the Garden of England. And with good reason… Cherries are just one of many crops that we enjoy seasonally. But cherries have a long history in the County… It is understood that the cultivated sweet variety was first introduced by the Romans back in the first Century AD.
But it was with Henry Ⅷ (who had a particular love of the juicy red fruit) that the cherry orchards really took hold. Because Henry loved them so much, he ordered that land be set aside for growing an abundance of the tall trees. Indeed, the trees were so tall, that over time, special cherry ladders were created to enable picking the tree without damage. And the trees were pruned and shaped to allow the tall, tapering ladders to be used effectively.
Although cherry-growing still remains strong in the county, cultivation has moved forward and trees are now smaller and easier to pick. However, there still remain a few traditional orchards locally, which are both beautiful and full of charm.
Terry’s Cherries
One of my favourite local orchards belongs to Terry’s Cherries. (Yes, he really is called Terry…). And this independently-owned orchard is truly traditional. Every year, its beautiful standard-sized trees become laden with succulent cherries. And each and every one of them is harvested using tall, tapering cherry-picking ladders and sold out of a hut using traditional weighing scales.
To get there, you follow signs from a back lane and drive down grassy tracks through the apple and pear orchards. Eventually you see Terry’s shack, propping up a sign which requests that you ‘Sound Horn for Service’. It is just so perfectly cool in this crazy modern world. A remnant of 50’s England tucked away and hidden… Determinedly unchanged and still ‘making it’.
But it would appear I am not the only one who knows about Terry’s Cherries… It turns out a reporter from the Telegraph did a feature on him some time back too…
Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate – a perfect pairing
But back to Cherry Ice Cream… Which has more than one place on the blog. In fact, this is one of three cherry ice cream recipes, which also include a Vegan Cherry-Almond Coconut Milk Ice Cream and a divine No Churn Cherry Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream.
This particular ice cream however is a traditional churned Cherry Ice Cream made to showcase the perfectly-matched pairing of cherry and dark chocolate. The cherries (which have been candied) are swirled through to ensure they maintain their full cherry bite and flavour, as is the chocolate (chipped, grated or shaved) for the same reason… An ice cream with texture and depth of flavour that seriously excites the senses.
Preparing Candied Cherries for Cherry Ice Cream
The candied cherries used in this Cherry Ice Cream are home-made. A recipe which is perfect for the cherry-harvest. Actually, I make them every year and pop some in the fridge in a Kilner Jar. They last for ages and are utterly divine when added to everything from Greek yoghurt and custard… to cocktails and crumble.
In addition to using them in the Cherry Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream mentioned above, I’ve also used them in my recipe for gluten free Breakfast pastries.
The specific recipe I use is slightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop (David Lebovitz (2007))… A delightful book packed with drool-worthy ice cream recipes to suit every palate. But the candied cherries deserve credit in themselves, simply for their versatility and deliciousness.
What’s so good about Mascarpone Ice Cream?
Apart from the candied cherries, this recipe is otherwise, entirely my own. And although it is a churned ice cream, it is nonetheless pretty simple to make… Why? Because I have used a Mascarpone ice cream base.
I adore Mascarpone… It is mild, yet rich and creamy and brings decadence to so many dishes with so little effort. And that includes ice cream… Its use brings everything you want in an ice cream of quality without the faff of making an egg-custard. It’s simply a case of throwing the base ingredients in a blender, then chilling and churning!
Can I make Cherry Ice Cream without an ice cream maker?
Although the easiest way to make my Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone is with an ice cream maker, if you don’t have one, don’t despair! The ice cream can still be made using a hand-churned method as follows –
- After the base mix has chilled, give it a little whisk and pop it in the freezer in a shallow container until it becomes mushy and starts to crystalise.
- At this stage, turn the mix into a chilled bowl and whisk well until the ice crystals are broken down.
- Return to the freezer again and freeze until mushy.
- Repeat the whisking process one further time and then stir through the candied cherries and chocolate, before freezing one final time.
Ways to eat Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone
You can enjoy my ice cream any which way you choose… Scooped straight into a bowl, popped on a (gluten free) cone, or snazzed up into a gorgeous Sundae! Mine was combined with some left-over meringue and a little cherry sauce. Perfect!
But I can also recommend making it into ice cream cookie sandwiches made with fudgy Chocolate Puddle Cookies (with or without the espresso). Or… used instead of the mint ice cream as a Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cake.
Ready to make Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone?
I hope you love my recipe for Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone. Please let me know if you make it… and share your thoughts in the comments below… Plus you can rate the recipe and tag #glutenfreealchemist on social media, so that I get to see how your scoops came out. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
Thanks for stopping by
Other Cherry Chocolate recipes on Gluten Free Alchemist
Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone
Key equipment
- freezer container
- freezer
Ingredients
- 250 g Mascarpone
- 220 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 300 ml milk (preferably full fat)
- 120 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 200 g candied cherries (approx weight or to taste) partially drained of syrup. (See separate recipe card below)
- 85 g dark chocolate chips/shavings/flakes good quality
Instructions
- Put the Mascarpone, cream, milk, sugar and vanilla into a blender and mix until well-combined and smooth.
- Chill in the fridge for an hour or two before pouring into an ice cream maker.
- Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the ice cream is almost done, add the chocolate pieces/flakes into the ice cream maker and continue to churn to complete the churning process.
- The chocolate should now be evenly distributed in the ice cream.
- Once the process is complete, remove the paddle from the ice cream maker and add a few spoons of candied cherries (with the syrup partially drained).
- Gently fold into the ice cream, being careful not to over-mix, so that the ice cream still has a swirled appearance of cherry against pale cream.
- Spoon into a freezer container freeze until completely frozen.
Notes
- After the base mix has chilled, give it a little whisk and pop it in the freezer in a shallow container until it becomes mushy and starts to crystalise.
- At this stage, turn the mix into a chilled bowl and whisk well until the ice crystals are broken down.
- Return to the freezer again and freeze until mushy.
- Repeat the whisking process one further time and then stir through the candied cherries and chocolate, before freezing one final time.
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Homemade Glacé Cherries (Candied Cherries)
Key equipment
- large saucepan
- hob
- jam jars/Kilner jars – sterile
Ingredients
- 500 g cherries washed & pitted (either whole or halved)
- 200 ml/g cold water
- 220 g caster sugar I used golden
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp almond extract optional
Instructions
- Sterilise the jars to store the candied cherries – See main blog post.
Glacé (Candied) Cherries
- Put all the ingredients (except the almond) into a large saucepan and heat over a medium hob until boiling.
- Turn down the heat to a gentle boil and leave to cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Continue to gently boil until the liquid has reduced to a light syrup. Check and stir more frequently towards the end of the process to make sure the cherries do not become too sticky.
- Once happy with the consistency, turn off the heat and stir in the almond extract (if using).
- Leave the cherries to cool either in the pan, or pour into sterilised jars for storage in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone shared with
- Cook Blog Share Week 26 2021 with Farmersgirl Kitchen
- Fiesta Friday #387 with Angie
- Full plate Thursday #543 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- What’s For Dinner #321 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Sundays on Silverado #47 with The House on Silverado
We all just loved your Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Mascarpone, it is featured on Full Plate Thursday 544 this week. I just pinned your post to our special features board and thanks so much for sharing it with us. Hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Oh Wow! Thank you SO much Helen. And thank you too for hosting a great party xx
You can’t beat homemade ice cream! I love this chocolate cherry flavour combo, just so good.
I totally agree… It’s always so much better than bought.
And cherry and chocolate is a match from heaven! x
This looks so tasty and refreshing!! Great flavors – Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party!! Have a great week and Happy 4th of July!
You’re welcome Helen. Thank you for hosting x