Last year I started a small-batch, gourmet ice cream business selling ice cream at my local farmer's market (cool fact -it's the oldest in North America). My Dad loves ice cream but really prefers ice creams that are heavy on the mix-ins which really isn't my thing - I like to make ice creams, sorbets and sherbets that are simple, unique and made with really high quality ice cream.
But it's Father's Day and I have to make something special for him. So I went with Black Forest Ice Cream because that cake is his favourite dessert and the first batch of local cherries hit the market today.
So I made my Dark Chocolate base but substituted Almond Milk for Whole Milk (because almonds and cherries share flavour compounds and I found that with all the dark chocolate in our base, it was slightly waxy from the additional fat added to our standard base). I also added a couple drops of cherry essential oil.
Fudgey chocolate brownies but I substituted out about 20% of the buttermilk I typically use for dark cherry soda. I also brushed the brownies with Kirsch (the cherry liquour that is traditionally used in black forest cake). I cut this up into chunks for mix-ins along with some chopped up cherries after the base ages over night.
I also bought a high-quality cherry jam/preserve from a local Italian market for making swirls and am making cones substituting about 20% of the wheat flower for almond flower. Plane is to top it with freshly whipped cream/toasted slivered almonds and macerated cherries. Will post pictures tomorrow.
