Tipsy Black Forest Ice Cream (With a Not-So-Tipsy Version For Kids)
So why is this Black Forest ice cream a little tipsy? Well, when you look at the ingredient list, you’ll find what Germans call Kirschwasser. This cherry schnapps is used in the original version of the Black Forest cake, and my German roots demanded to stay as authentic as possible. And here’s another reason: alcohol doesn’t freeze at 0°F. As delicious as homemade ice cream is, I always wondered why it turned into a rock after sitting in the freezer for a couple hours. I experimented quite a bit, and this is the scoopable, fruity, mouthwatering result.
I hear you! You have kids! Yes, it wouldn’t really be fair to let them watch you enjoy this delicious homemade treat, but there’s a solution: the kid-friendly version! And yes, it’s scoopable too! Just a few changes marked in [ ], and the Black Forest ice cream is not so tipsy anymore and can be devoured by the whole family. The added coconut oil has the same effect as alcohol, because fat doesn’t freeze as well either.
You will need:
- high speed blender
- ice cream maker (remember to put the freezer bowl into the freezer!)
Ingredients:
Cherry Sauce:
- 2 bags frozen dark sweet cherries, each 10 oz (284 g)
- 3 Tbsp Kirschwasser (clear 40% cherry schnapps) or vodka [omit for kids-friendly version!]
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
Cream:
- 2 cups raw unsalted cashews, soaked overnight or for a few hours
- 1/3 cup coconut oil [1/2 cup coconut oil for kids-friendly version]
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
- 2 more Tbsp Kirschwasser or vodka [omit for kids-friendly version]
Chocolate Splits:
- 3 healthy oz (100 g) high quality vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
Preparation:
Remember to soak your cashews!
Put all the cherry sauce ingredients into your blender, but reserve a few whole cherries for later. Blend on high until smooth. Pour about one cup of the cherry sauce into a measuring cup, and reserve for later. Leave the rest in your blender. Drain the soaked cashews, rinse, and drain again. Add all the cream ingredients to the remaining cherry sauce and blend until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Don’t let it get hot! If warm, let the cream cool down, maybe even put it in the fridge for a while! Start your ice cream maker and fill it with the cherry cream. It takes about 30 minutes until the ice cream is ready. Most machines stop automatically when they are done. While the machine is working, heat chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler or water bath. Stir until it is smooth and creamy and all the chocolate pieces are melted. Pour chocolate sauce on a large flat plate or metal tray and distribute it evenly into a thin layer. Put into the freezer. It will harden very quickly, but keep it there until your ice cream is ready. The chocolate softens as quickly as it hardens. When the ice cream is ready, spoon it into a freezer safe container and put it immediately into the freezer. Now take your chocolate covered plate out and scrape the chocolate off to produce curls, slivers or even bigger pieces. You have to work quickly, because the chocolate will melt. If it does, put it back into the freezer for a minute, then continue. The pieces usually come of the plate easily. Take the ice cream out of the freezer and blend it with most of the chocolate splits (reserve some for decoration, if you want). Pour reserved cherry sauce over the ice cream and carefully swirl some of it it into the cream. Don’t blend! The swirls should be visible. Decorate with reserved cherries and chocolate splits. Put it tightly covered back into the freezer or enjoy it right away! That’s how I like it best
Notes:
- I like to dress up my ice cream so there’s a feast for the eye as well. In the picture it enjoys the company of my homemade yogurt, some more cherry sauce, the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate splits, and some lemon balm. Be creative and and enjoy the process!
- Take it out of the freezer about 15 – 20 minutes before scooping!
