I promised a friend that I would make her some sweet cherry ice cream with the fruit I harvested and froze a few months ago. This was my opportunity to use my Donvier Ice Cream maker, which is probably 15 years old. Once a trendy device, it's been surpassed by newer ice cream makers. But, as I don't
make ice cream very often, I find that the old Donvier works just fine for my purposes.
The recipe is very simple, just cream, eggs, sugar, chopped sweet cherries, and vanilla. Some people like almond extract with cherry ice cream, and that is a good pairing. But, I prefer vanilla because it tastes better to me, and doesn't overwhelm the cherry flavor. Vanilla pods are actually the fruit of an orchid, which is a pleasant thing to consider. However, that wonderful vanilla taste and aroma happens only after the vanilla pods are cured for several months. This salute to vanilla is perfect for Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted by (drumroll, please) our fearless leader, the noble Kalyn herself, who created WHB. Go to her site, Kalyn's Kitchen, for a recap of herby recipes from bloggers around the world, probably on Monday.
Do you recognize this rather ancient "machine"? It uses a liquid filled insert, which you place in the freezer. It's not electric and you must turn the handle on top, about 3 times every 3 minutes, for a total of 15 minutes.
The result was very creamy and bursting with sweet cherry flavor, the result of 2 cups of chopped cherries.
Sweet Cherry Ice Cream
(Recipe from Donvier)
Makes 1 quart
2 eggs
2/3 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cream
2 cups chopped sweet cherries
Beat eggs and sugar until thick and yellow colored. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to directions for your machine.
Oh sher I did ice cream for WHB this week too!
Yours looks sooo good. My ice cream maker is an ancient one too but electri. It was my grandmothers.
Posted by: Sue (coffeepot) | June 25, 2008 at 12:03 AM
My dad loves it when I make cherry ice cream for him. He loves it in of all things root beer floats.
Posted by: peabody | June 25, 2008 at 12:16 AM
Oh my, that looks good! I hope you're feeling better.
Posted by: Christine | June 25, 2008 at 12:37 AM
That ice cream looks terribly good and tempting, especially since it's very hot here in Switzerland! I wouldn't mind eating some of it now ;-P! Your ice cream maker is surely very useful...
Cheers,
Rosa
Posted by: Rosa | June 25, 2008 at 02:17 AM
Gorgeous ice cream! I remember my family had an ice cream maker where you had to turn it by hand, more ancient than this one but a similar idea. We loved making ice cream with it, and everyone would fight to do the turning part!
Posted by: Kalyn | June 25, 2008 at 06:28 AM
Sher, that is one lucky friend! I love the color of this ice cream - so girlie!
Posted by: Patricia Scarpin | June 25, 2008 at 07:47 AM
Look at that tempting icy pink goodness. Lovely. I had a Donvier for years, too. They're a solid little workhorse. If you don't mind doing the crankin'. ;)
Posted by: Karina | June 25, 2008 at 08:01 AM
PS: I forgot to ask: What- no buffalo ice cream? ;)
Posted by: Karina | June 25, 2008 at 08:02 AM
That is divine. A good reminder on the origin of vanilla beans! I like the hand crank like this! Never seen it before but I think that would be great fun and not so hard as the old kind that used salt and ice like Kalyn is remembering.
Posted by: MyKitchenInHalfCups | June 25, 2008 at 08:13 AM
I bet this ice cream is amazing!!
Posted by: Deborah | June 25, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Looks creamy and delicious! I love that you can make ice cream even when the power is out!
Posted by: Katie B. | June 25, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Wow!
Posted by: Kelly Cat | June 25, 2008 at 02:55 PM
Just goes to show that you don't need fancy equipment to make really delicious ice cream!
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | June 25, 2008 at 03:29 PM
WOW! I would put in the extra work with an old ice cream maker if it kept producing results as gorgeous as this!!!
Looks sooooooooo good!
Posted by: Katie | June 25, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Cherries just started popping up at the local markets.... I'll have to get a few pints of it now.
Posted by: Jude | June 25, 2008 at 10:25 PM
It's 10am here, and after reading this, I want ice cream, and I want it now! I've always wanted to buy an ice cream maker (I think there's actually an attachment available for my Kitchenaid mixer) but I never got around to it.
Posted by: Kristi | June 26, 2008 at 07:05 AM
I'm so sorry to hear about Upsie's death. What a beauty ! I found your blog because of a link on another blog (Ginger Girlcat from Nashville ?) and I found THAT on another blog which features (mainly) ginger cats and is written by Jackie Morris who is a children's book illustrator ! What a wonderful tool the Internet is !
It's so painful to say goodbye to a pet. Our own beloved Moshi (ginger, with white paws and nose) died nearly two years ago. He too had cancer. Reading your account of Upsie's departure brought it all back, with tears rolling down my face.
I'm so glad you've got these magnificent photos of her. And, of course, the memories.
love
Panther
P.S. How many other cats do you have ? I found Laura today. Since Moshi's death we have acquired two cats from the RSPCA (British equivalent of Humane Society)-Jane, who is totally white, and Petal (also known as Cleo) who is a dark brindled tortoiseshell.
Posted by: panther | June 26, 2008 at 12:03 PM
That ice cream looks so good!
Posted by: Kevin | June 26, 2008 at 07:36 PM
Oh gawd, Sher. It looks sooooo wonderful! Just beautiful!
Posted by: Glenna | June 26, 2008 at 08:57 PM
I thought I was the only left in the world with an old Donvier Ice Cream Maker! My model looks exactly like yours. The ice cream still comes out just fine. Your cherry ice cream looks so in inviting.
Heidi
Posted by: Heidi | June 27, 2008 at 01:02 PM
I want some of that right now!
Posted by: Teresa | June 30, 2008 at 12:16 AM
Sher~
In my current state, I could eat ice cream 24/7. Is that a bad thing?!? Cheers to a great recipe!
Posted by: BostonChef | June 30, 2008 at 12:51 PM