Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the cherries into quarters. Place them into a medium-size saucepan with the granulated sugar. Heat until they become thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally, for roughly 20 minutes. Remove from the stove and place into the fridge to cool, preferably overnight.
2. In another medium-size saucepan, add the heavy cream, milk, cherry syrup and almond extract. Heat on medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Do not let it come to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Refrigerate until chilled, preferably overnight.
3. Pour the cold cream/milk mixture into an ice cream machine and churn for 25 minutes or until the ice cream begins to look very thick. Add cherries (see step 1) and  chocolate chips to the ice cream machine and churn until combined, roughly a minute.
4. Remove the ice cream from the machine and place into an airtight container. Place into the freezer for a few hours to harden.
5. Once you are ready to serve, remove from the freezer and let sit on the counter for 5 – 10 minutes until it’s soft enough to scoop.
6. Ice cream can be stored in the freezer for a few months, but it is best eaten within a few weeks.