Cookbook Challenge: Cherry Garcia
Theme 1: Stonefruit
Cookbook Used: Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book
Author: Ben R. Cohen and Jerry Greenfield
The cookbook challenge is back! This time we are doing it fortnightly instead of weekly so we have a better chance of staying on track. It was great to end last year’s challenge with a lunch, so it’s time to start all over again and see how many cookbooks we can get through.
I had seen Ellie from Almost Bourdain make this recipe a while ago, yet was without ice-cream machine to make it all possible. Fast forward till now! Hamsley bought me an ice-cream machine for Christmas (my hinting helped!). I decided to use the fresh cherries I picked recently instead of canned cherries. I think canned cherries would have added an extra sweetness, as the fresh cherries didn’t seem as sweet against the ice-cream, and they were super sweet to start with.
It’s true what they say though; once you’ve had homemade ice-cream, it’s hard to go back to the store bought stuff!
Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Ice Cream Recipe
1/4 cup shaved plain chocolate (B&J prefer Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate candy bars. I used blitzed Hershey’s Kisses and some dark chocolate)
1/4 cup fresh Bing cherries, halved and pitted (you may use canned cherries, but see sure to drain the syrup)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk
1. Place the shaved chocolate flakes and the cherries in separate bowls. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whish in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend.
3. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions.
4. After the ice cream stiffen (about 2 minutes before it is done), add the chocolate and the cherries, then continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.
(Makes grateful 1 quart).
We are trialling a forum instead of doing round ups. If you are joining us, please check out the results here: http://community.jeroxie.com/groups/cookbook-challenge/
GourmetGetaways
How delicious!!! I agree homemade is best and that looks by far the most yummy homemade ice-cream ever!!!
Iron Chef Shellie
hehe, it will be hard to beat this flavour!
Phuoc'n Delicious
Nothing is more satisfying than digging into a tub of some homemade icecream. How did the cherries go in the icecream? I find when you include fresh fruit into icecream that they freeze up and become somewhat unpleasant.
What a fantastic concept, would love to join but I’m worried I won’t stick to it..
Iron Chef Shellie
Yeah wasn’t too impressed with fresh cherries, they did freeze up. Shall try the tinned cherries next time!
Susan
Yeah I made a berry ice cream once and the berries were rock hard in it 🙁 Anyone know how to make it so they stay mushy and not frozen?
Allan
yummmmmmy. too bad i’m semi-lactose intolerant =P
Iron Chef Shellie
more for me then 😛
penny aka jeroxie
Nom.. it is so ice cream season now isn’t it? I have to get going with my cookbook challenge… got peaches… what do I do?
Iron Chef Shellie
mmmm I haven’t had a peach this season, better enjoy them before they are gone!
Hannah
Brilliant! But can you please now make Chubby Hubby? 😀
Iron Chef Shellie
If it’s in the book I’ll try it! Currently not sure where the book is… 😛
Michelle
Hmm, with the new ice cream maker, I’m sure you can come up with some really crazy flavors!
Iron Chef Shellie
I accept this challenge!
Helen (grabyourfork)
Cherry garcia with freshly picked cherries? You can’t get more lustworthy than that!
Iron Chef Shellie
Ohhhh I know!! 🙂 Best cherries ever!
Jeanne Edwards
How yummy does yr Icecream look Shellie, love the concept of having Cherries in it to. It is a great season for it, and for luvly plump Cherries also. Next time pop in a dash of Brandy! Yu will be pleasantly suprised. x 🙂
Iron Chef Shellie
Shall try!
kristy @ ksayerphotography
This looks soooooooooooooooooooo good Shellie! Hollyyyy yum.
Iron Chef Shellie
haha holy yum?! <3 it!
Leah
Homemade ice cream is so delicious, and addictive. I used to have an ice-cream machine, but it broke down 🙁 I think its time to look at getting a new one!
Iron Chef Shellie
you really should get a new one!
Adrian in Food Rehab
I just went cherry picking over the weekend- so addicted. Of course I ate more than I picked! Still recalling the times I had cherry Garcia in the US, so good. This looks amazing and even better beacuse it’s fresh cherries. YUMMMM!!!!
Any leftovers? Really.
Iron Chef Shellie
yes I think I ate more too 😛 sorry, no leftovers! have to make a new batch!
angie
I’ve put my freezer tub into our chest freezer for a while now but am still yet to make my first batch of ice cream for the summer of ’10/’11. This flavour combo sounds delish! Oh and yes, once you go home made the store bought stuff doesn’t cut it =D
Iron Chef Shellie
Hope your first batch is a huge success!
Cherrie
That looks great. What a fantastic start to the cookbook challenge
Iron Chef Shellie
Thanks Cherrie! Certainly is!
Emma @CakeMistress
Oh dear god that’s a bowl of heaven right there! Pity about the fresh cherries not working. I wonder if soaking fresh cherries in a little liquer would help, like kirsch? The alcohol might prevent ice crystallising in the fruit and add an extra bit of naughtiness 🙂
Iron Chef Shellie
I’d give it a go! Perhaps next time! 🙂
Agnes
Getting off to a good start for the year, Shellie! 😀 What do you think of the Hershey’s Kisses? I remember eating some a couple of years ago after a colleague brought some back from America (after not having had any for years and years) and being rather disappointed!
Iron Chef Shellie
I am not a fan! I regret buying a massive bag of them from Costco too. They taste like cheap, stale chocolate!! Will have to use them in cooking unless Hamsley eats them all!
foodie and the chef
I know that Hershey’s are tasteless and leave an odd chocolaty-film in my mouth (…or is that just me ?), but I spent a considerable chunk of my childhood in the U.S. and I just can’t shake the habit. Maybe it’s that irresistible peel-away foil wrapping. Your ice cream looks incredible, I think the fresh cherries were a good move to balance the ice cream: I’ve always found store-bought B&Js a bit too sweet after the first few mouthfuls. Beautiful photography 🙂
Iron Chef Shellie
No, I think Hershey’s are tasteless too. Like stale cheap chocolate. I don’t get it!
Thanks 🙂
Queenotisblue
Yum, totally yum, and so right for the kind of weather we’re having here in Melbourne. You’ve inspired me to make some ice-cream over the weekend!
Thanh
Seems like everyone’s got an ice cream machine. I want one but then I’ll be churning out so much ice cream and eating it all that I’ll be so fat. Better not buy it, although I am tempted by the “once you’ve had homemade ice-cream, it’s hard to go back to the store bought stuff!”