So, I had these beautiful tart cherries from the farmer’s market,  and I was looking for all the ways I could find to use them up.  Tart cherries are really just a happy thing.

You all know about the Summer Fruit Pie by now.  The one that pretty much changed my life.  And of course there’s plain cherry pie (my all-time favorite), and I am working on a muffin recipe that’ll knock your flip-flops off.

But, then I found this recipe from momontimeout.com for a sort of ice cream that needs no ice cream maker, and it was perfect because I needed a dessert for that day that didn’t require baking.

My family went nuts over this one.  Like, I haven’t heard them this excited about a dessert in a long time.  They said it’s really somewhere between cheesecake and ice cream texture-wise.  It’s easy and I’m thinking it’s super flexible, too.  This would also be delightful with sweet cherries! You could sub in mini chocolate chips or vanilla wafers with cherries, or use strawberries, or raspberries.  The base is a fabulous starting point for any combination.

All you need to do is pit 1 1/2 cups fresh (or thawed) tart cherries and put them in a bowl with 1 T. fresh lemon juice.

Next, beat together 8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature is best to avoid lumps) and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk until smooth and combined.

Then,  whip one pint of heavy whipping cream until thickened, and add in 1 tsp. vanilla.   Fold the whipped cream and then the cherries into the milk mixture.

Combine 1 sleeve of roughly crushed graham crackers (about 2/3 cup) with 1/4 c. melted butter.  Gently fold this into the cream mixture trying to keep in clumps.

Put this loveliness into a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours or until it’s reached an ice cream-like consistency.

Soooo yummy.  Soooo easy.

Try it and let me know your flavor combinations!

Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream (no ice cream maker needed)

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

You don't need an ice cream maker for this ice cream that tastes like a cross between cheesecake and ice cream. Tart cherries (or the fruit of your choice) provide pops of flavor within a handful of ingredients that will give you ice cream much easier than you think.

Alison: That Which Nourishes

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 6 servings

Grocery List

• 1½ c. tart cherries
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 pt. heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ⅔ c. graham crackers (about 1 sleeve)
• ¼ c. butter

Here's how...

1. Add lemon juice to pitted tart cherries.
2. In another bowl, combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
3. Whip the heavy cream until it has soft peaks. Fold in the vanilla.
4. Fold the whipped cream and and then the cherries into the milk mixture.
5. Combine roughly crushed graham crackers with melted butter, and gently fold them into the cream mixture.
6. Put the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours or until it has reached an ice cream-like consistency.

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