Cottage Cheese Cherry Ice Cream (Cherry Garcia)
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup sweet cherries (frozen or fresh)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- If using fresh cherries, wash and pit 1 cup of cherries. If using frozen cherries, allow them to partially thaw. If using chocolate chunks, chop them down into smaller pieces if desired. Set aside.
- In a blender, Nutribullet, food processor, or immersion blender, combine cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla extract, 7-8 whole cherries, and a dash of salt. Blend the mixture until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the ice cream mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe dish or bowl.Add the chopped cherries and chocolate pieces to the top of the cottage cheese mixture and gently stir them into the ice cream with a spatula.Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for about 2 hours or until it reaches your desired consistency. If the ice cream is too firm to scoop, allow it to sit on the counter and thaw for about 10 minutes or until soft.
Video
Notes
Cottage Cheese Texture: You can use any variety of cottage cheese. My preference is full-fat cottage cheese. Blending it first will smooth out the curdled texture.
Sweetness Level: Taste the mixture before freezing and adjust the sweetness if needed. You can add a bit more maple syrup or your preferred sweetener to suit your taste.
Freezing Tips: You can stir the ice cream mixture every 30 minutes during the first hour of freezing to prevent ice crystals from forming and to ensure a smoother consistency. Allow the ice cream to thaw on the counter for 10-15 minutes if it is too solid to scoop.
Popsicles: You can pour the soft-serve ice cream mixture into popsicle molds for convenient and portion-controlled servings.
Did you make this recipe?Please let me know in the comments below how it turned out :)