I had a full punnet of cherries and not too much time. So I searched around for a quick and easy cherry ice cream recipe.
I couldn't find one. In fact the most interesting recipe I saw specifically states "this recipe isn't quick or easy". However it also added "but it's incredible" so I thought I'd give it a go, cutting corners where I could.
In fact it turned out to be very easy and pretty quick too. And I didn't have to cut too many corners to get there!
The idea with this one is to intensify the flavor of the cherries, whilst also reducing unwanted water in the mixture by roasting them.
The cherries are roasted whole and then the pips are steeped in the cream to extract the maximum amount of that subtle almondy flavor you get in cherry stones.
The original recipe asks us to reduce the cherry mixture further by simmering it on the stove top. But that was the corner I decided to cut...
The pureed roasted cherries already looked intense enough to me, so I just measured out the required amount.
The other reason this recipe is decidedly easy is that there's only 3 ingredients. Just cherries cream and sugar!
Anyway the final ice cream was a big hit. Intensely cherry with a subtle but undoubtedly almondy back bone.

Roasted Cherry Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 790 grams Cherries
- 73 grams Granulated sugar
- 200 grams Whipping / Heavy cream
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1/2 tablespoon Lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Mix the cherries and the sugar in a deep pan. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. By the end, the cherries should be soft and wilted. Set them aside to cool.
- Once the cherries are cool enough to handle, separate the stones from the flesh. The stones should pop out easily when you squeeze the cherries.
- Add the cherry stones and the cream to a saucepan. Bring the cream to a simmer on the stove. Then remove from the heat, cover, and leave to cool down.
- Blend the cherry flesh in a food processor. Depending on your food processor you may then need to strain the puree through a sieve to get rid of any bits.
- Remove the cherry stones from the cream. Add 282g of the cherry puree to the cream. Then add the salt and the lemon juice. And give it another go in the food processor until well mixed and smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to a vessel with a lid and refrigerate until around 42°F (6°C).
- Add the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn it until it has the consistency of whipped cream. This usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes. Transfer to a plastic freezer box and freeze for at least an hour.
- After an hour it should just be firm enough to serve without it melting too quickly. If you leave it longer and it's too hard to scoop, leave it in the fridge for a while to soften slightly.