Very Cherry Gelato

from ButterYum

makes 1 quart

Ingredients

• • 40 whole sweet cherries, stems removed

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon natural cherry flavor (or Kirsch, Amaretto, Bourbon)

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 4 egg yolks

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • pinch of salt

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

To prepare cherries:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400F.

  2. Place whole, stemmed cherries in an oven safe dish. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and natural cherry flavor; toss well.

  3. Roast cherries, uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

  4. Using gloved hands, remove pits and discard (save the juice from the pan). Chop cherries into small pieces. Store cherries and their juice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To prepare ice cream base:

• 1. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

  2. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the milk and heavy cream together until small bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan.

  3. Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk/cream mixture into the yolks.

  4. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the milk/cream mixture and heat over medium-high, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

  5. Pour ice cream base into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

To make ice cream:

• 1. Process ice crema base, chopped cherries, and cherry juice in an ice cream machine following the manufacturer's instructions. Makes about 1 quart.