Dark Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

I have been having so much fun with my ice cream maker. And with the privilege of living on a cherry farm, I knew I would have to take advantage of the fresh fruit for ice cream. Last week, Katie and I made this delicious creation! We each enjoyed a bowl or two and the rest went in the freezer to satisfy my sweet tooth every now and again.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream
2 cups half and half
1 cup whipping cream
3/4 cups sugar
4 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted and quartered
1 dark chocolate bar

1. Coarsely chop chocolate into chunks and quarter cherries.

2. Mix together remaining ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Place frozen mixing bowl and turn ice cream maker on. Pour all ingredients, except cherries and chocolate in, and let the ice cream maker make for 25-35 minutes, until desired consistency is reached.

4. Add cherries and chocolate and mix for 10 minutes more.

5. Serve immediately as soft serve, or place in the freezer in freezer safe containers for at least 2 hours to allow ice cream to harden.

I tried this ice cream both ways, and personally, I thought that the hardened version was much better.