Cherry Chocolate Fluff Ice Cream (Vegan)
A smooth vanilla ice cream studded with chocolate chunks, cherries, and little marshmallow fluff. It’s a simple summertime treat that is egg and dairy-free.
I couldn’t let cherry season go by without using them in a few recipes. This is my take on cherry chocolate chip ice cream. Homemade cherry compote is folded into a vanilla ice cream base along with some chopped chocolate. For fun, I decided to make a little homemade marshmallow fluff, swirling it through. It’s creamy and flavorful, and you would never know it was non-dairy.
What you will need:
Cherries!!! Go get yourself a bag of cherries. If you want to make the homemade marshmallow fluff, you will need chickpea brine, so a can of chickpeas will be needed. Everything else you should have or can get at the market.
Ice Cream Base
- plant based heavy cream
- plant based sweetened condensed milk – see recipe on the website
- chocolate – chopped into small pieces
Cherry Compote
- Cherries – fresh or frozen -pitted and halved
- cornstarch
- cane sugar
- lemon juice
- water
Marshmallow Fluff
- chickpea brine ( juice from a can of chickpeas)
- cream of tartar
- vanilla extract
- cane sugar
- powdered sugar
How to:
The cherry compote and the sweetened condensed milk can be made a day ahead of time. Making them ahead of time makes the day of assembly much easier. It also ensures that they are cold when it is time to bring the ice cream together.
Let’s make the compote first. In a medium pot, add the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. In a small container, combine the cornstarch and water; stir to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pot and fully combine all the ingredients. Set the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Make sure to occasionally stir as the cherry mixture is heating up. Simmer the mixture until it thickens and the cherries break down. This process took me 30 minutes. I did not want large chunks of cherries in the ice cream, so during the last 10 minutes I began mashing the cherries in the pot. Once the cherry compote is done, transfer it to a heat-safe container and allow it to cool before putting it in the fridge. We want it cold when it is time to add it to the ice cream.
To make the ice cream base, add the heavy cream to a medium bowl and whip on high with a hand mixer until soft peaks are achieved. In a separate bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk and whip on high with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Add the whipped sweetened condensed milk to the whipped heavy cream and fold them together until they are fully incorporated. To ensure that the chocolate pieces and the cherry compote do not sink when added, place the ice cream base in the freezer. Leave it there for about 2 hours; this will allow it to solidify enough to hold the chocolate and cherries when added.
When the ice cream is solid enough to add the chocolate and cherries, it’s time to make the marshmallow fluff. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, add the chickpea brine, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract. Whip the ingredients on high for 5 minutes. You want the mixture to thicken, increase in size, and whiten. When the bowl is turned upside down, the mixture does not move. Now it is time to add the cane sugar and powdered sugar. Whip on high for another 5 minutes.
It’s time to bring this ice cream together. Remove the ice cream base from the freezer. To the base, add the chocolate chips and fold them in. Add the cherry compote and gently fold it in until fully combined. Pour half of the ice cream into your reserved container. I used a 6x6x2 glass container with a lid. Dollop half of the marshmallow fluff onto the ice cream and swirl it through. Pour the other half of the ice cream into the container, dollop the rest of the fluff on top, and swirl it through. Sprinkle a few chocolate pieces on top of the ice cream and place it in the freezer. The ice cream takes at least 6 to 8 hours to reach a scoop-able consistency. I leave mine in the freezer over night.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make and enjoy!
Cherry Chocolate Fluff Ice Cream (Vegan)
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- ¾ cup plant based sweetened condensed milk (see recipe on website)
- ¾ cup plant based heavy cream (needs to be cold)
- ½ cup chopped chocolate
Cherry Compote
- 13 ounces cherries – fresh or frozen – pitted and halved
- 2 tbsp cane sugar
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp water
Marshmallow Fluff
- 2 tbsp aquafaba ( chickpea brine)
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar
- 1½ tbsp powdered sugar
- 1½ tbsp cane sugar
Instructions
Cherry Compote
- To a medium pot add the cherries, lemon juice, sugar. In a separate container, combine the cornstarch and water and mix to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the cherry mixture and stir to fully combine. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Keep the mixture at a low simmer until it thickens and the fruit breaks down. Remember to stir occasionally through out this process. This took me 30 minutes. I did not want large cherry pieces in the ice cream, so during the last 10 minutes I started mashing the cherries up in the pot. Once done, place the compote in a heat safe container. Let it cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator. The cherry compote should be cold when added to the ice cream.
Ice Cream Base
- In a medium bowl add the cold heavy cream. With a hand mixer, blend on high until you get soft peaks.In a medium bowl add the sweetened condensed milk. With a hand mixer, blend on high for 1 minute.Add the sweetened condensed milk to the whipped heavy cream and fold them together until well blended. I had trouble with the chopped chocolate sinking to the bottom, so at this point I suggest placing the ice cream in the freezer for about 2 hours to solidify enough to hold the cherries and chopped chocolate.
Marshmallow Fluff
- To the bowl of a stand mixer add the chickpea brine, cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture with a balloon whisk for 5 minutes on high. You want it to thicken and whiten and when the bowl is turned upside down, the mixture does not move.Add both sugars to the mixture and continue whipping on high for another 5 minutes.I suggest not making the fluff until you are ready to assemble the ice cream.
Assembly
- Once the ice cream has become solid enough to hold the chocolate and cherry compote, remove it from the freezer. Add the chopped chocolate and fold it in. Add a cup of cherry compote and gently fold it in. Pour half of the ice cream in your freezer container. Dollop 1/2 of the marshmallow fluff onto the ice cream and swirl it through. Pour the rest of the ice cream into your container and dollop the rest of the fluff onto the ice cream and swirl it through. Sprinkle a few chopped chocolate pieces on top and place the ice cream in the freezer. It takes 6 to 8 hours for the ice cream to reach an ideal consistency. I usually leave mine in the freezer over night.
