1 vanilla bean split and scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sugar for the cherry puree, plus 1 cup granulated sugar for the ice cream base
9 egg yolks
24 oz. frozen cherries
1 cup of brandy
Instructions:
Cook the cherries & ½ cup of sugar until the cherries have broken down and a syrup begins to form. This can take anywhere from 5-6 minutes.
Add the brandy and reduce the mixture until thick, about 2-3 minutes.
Puree’ the cherry mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer.
Pour the cream into a medium-sized saucepan. Add the vanilla extract or split a vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds out. Add the vanilla bean and the seeds to the cream. Bring the cream to a simmer while continuously stirring then remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and sugar until smooth and homogenous. Slowly stir in the heated cream, adding 3-4 oz. at a time, into the egg sugar mixture. This will temper the eggs so that they won’t scramble. Return the entire mixture to a new saucepan.
Stir frequently and gently over medium-low to medium heat. When the liquid reaches around 150° & begins to thicken, remove from the heat. Do not overcook. Strain the liquid into a medium bowl and place in an ice bath to cool.
Whisk in the strained cherry puree’ into the strained, thickened cream until smooth.
Once the liquid has cooled, pour it into an ice cream maker to make ice cream. The mixture may be slightly loose after cooling in the ice maker. It will firm up to the desired consistency in the freezer.
