Winter White Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream (Baskin-Robbins Copycat)

Ingredients:

• 5 ounces white chocolate chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream or half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12-18 chocolate covered cherries chopped into fourths

Instructions:

1. Note: Be sure to chill the ice cream maker bowl at least a full day in advance so it’s cold enough to make the ice cream.
2. Chop the white chocolate and put it into a heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, salt, and half the sugar. Stir the mixture constantly as you bring it just to a simmer. Remove from heat.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar just until combined.
5. To temper the eggs, slowly pour 1/2 cup of the milk mixture in a drizzle into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Do this slowly so as not to cook the eggs.
6. Pour the entire egg mixture back into the saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 3-5 minutes. Do not boil.
7. Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated.
8. Chill the bowl in an ice bath until the mixture is cold, about 45 minutes.
9. When the ice cream mixture has completely cooled, stir in the heavy cream (or half and half) and vanilla. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker. After 5 minutes, add in the chocolate covered cherries, one at a time, so they don’t clump together. Pour any remaining cherry filling into the ice cream maker.
10. Every ice cream maker is different, so churn the ice cream until it’s thick. Transfer the ice cream to a bowl, cover and chill in the freezer for a few hours to set up.