Description
This vibrant and luscious Black Cherry Ice Cream is a dairy-free delight made with black cherries, creamy oat milk, and rich coconut milk. Enhanced with flavors of vanilla, almond extract, and amaretto, it offers a smooth, indulgent texture perfect for a refreshing treat. The homemade cherry sauce adds a beautiful swirl and extra fruity burst, making this vegan ice cream both sophisticated and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Ice Cream Base
- 400 g black cherries, pitted (fresh or sweet dark frozen cherries)
- 460 ml unsweetened oat milk (or unsweetened vanilla oat milk)
- 45 g cornstarch (cornflour) or ground arrowroot
- 250 g vegan condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons amaretto
- 440 g chilled full-fat canned coconut milk
Cherry Sauce
- 150 g black cherries, pitted
- 70 g vegan condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon amaretto
Instructions
- Freeze Ice Cream Bowl: Freeze the ice cream bowl of your ice cream machine at least 12-24 hours before making the recipe to ensure optimal churning and texture.
- Blend Ingredients: Add the 400 g black cherries, oat milk, cornstarch, and 250 g vegan condensed milk to a high-speed blender. Blitz until smooth, then strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan to remove any solids for a silky base.
- Cook Mixture: Heat the blended mixture over low to medium heat, whisking continuously to prevent burning. Alternate between whisk and spatula. Cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, then remove from heat.
- Flavor and Cool: Whisk in sea salt, vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and amaretto. Let the mixture cool to room temperature; use an ice bath to speed up cooling without letting any water mix in.
- Make Cherry Sauce: Blend the 150 g cherries with 70 g vegan condensed milk until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in 1 tablespoon amaretto, and cool to room temperature.
- Whip Coconut Cream: Whisk the chilled full-fat coconut milk until light and fluffy using a stand mixer, electric whisk, or manual whisk. Gently fold the cooled cherry sauce into the whipped coconut cream until combined.
- Churn Ice Cream: Pour the mixture into the frozen bowl of your ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer instructions, typically 25-40 minutes, until the ice cream is thick and clings to the arm of the machine.
- Freeze with Swirl: Transfer the churned ice cream to a loaf pan or sealable container. Swirl the cooled cherry sauce through the ice cream with a spatula. Cover the surface tightly with parchment paper and freeze for 3-4 hours until firm, or serve immediately for soft serve.
- Storage and Serving: Store the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 weeks. Prior to serving, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften for ideal scooping.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh black cherries when in season; frozen cherries work well as an alternative.
- Amaretto enhances the flavor but can be omitted or substituted with almond extract for a non-alcoholic version.
- Ensure the coconut milk is full-fat and well chilled for optimal whipping texture.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve improves smoothness by removing cherry skins and pulp.
- Adjust sweetness by varying the amount of vegan condensed milk according to taste.
