Cherry Ripple Ice Cream with Chocolate and Cherry Sauce

I'm sat writing this at the weekend as the sun has just gone behind a cloud.  Although the sun has been glorious, the strong wind is a taste of things to come.  Mid way through tomorrow, temperatures will have plunged along with most peoples desire for ice cream; but I will soldier on!  After all if Haagan Dazs can make a fortune from people buying ice cream all year round, I will assume people may still be eating it as the weather cools.  Just imagine in winter, warm chocolate brownies with cherry ice cream and chocolate cherry sauce... are you thinking my way yet?  Oh yes!

This was inspired by Black Forest Gateau, that 1970s creation of chocolate sponge, cream and cherries.  I have to admit I loved it when I had it as a child in the 80s and 90s and would still happily eat it now but baking a sponge cake for one feels like a bit too much effort on a lazy weekend day so I made ice cream instead.

I would suggest serving this with some extra fresh cherries if you have any, unfortunately due to bad planning I had none when I came to photograph it.  Obviously the sauce is optional but it is delicious and very easy to make.  I would suggest keeping excess sauce for later and I wanted to see if it went too thick (as it could easily serve 2) but I ate it all.  It was blooming lovely!

The amount here is a bit better sized than my mocha ice cream which, although delicious, felt like I was eating it for weeks.  You could easily double the mix though and it might be nice to make two different flavours, a conventional raspberry ripple might be nice or try my coffee and chocolate ice cream.


Cherry Ripple Ice Cream - makes 1 small tub

Ingredients

200g, 7oz Condensed milk
250ml, 8.5fl oz Double (heavy) cream
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
75g, 2.5oz Pitted frozen or fresh cherries, (defrosted if frozen)

For the chocolate sauce - serves 1-2
25g, a scant ounce of Plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
1 tsp Butter
50ml, 1.75fl oz Double (heavy) cream
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Cherry liquor

Method

Whisk the condensed milk, cream and vanilla extract together until soft peaks form.

Destone the cherries (if fresh) and blend to a puree.

Put the ice cream mix in the box in blobs alternating with small blobs of the cherry puree. Swirl together well.

Freeze over night.  When ready to serve, bring out of the freezer approx 30 minutes before serving before scooping out the balls of ice cream.

When ready to serve put the sauce ingredients (minus the liquor) into a microwavable bowl.  Microwave for approx 1 minute or until the cream is bubbling.  Stir together well and mix in the liquor.

Drizzle on top of some scoops of the ice cream and serve.

I've linked this up to recipe of the week.