Black Cherry Ice Cream

For as long as I can remember, homemade ice cream has been part of summer and the Carling family reunions. When I was very young and we camped at the Brown Creek, hand-cranked ice cream makers were used and all the cousins took turns until the adults had to take over when the cranking got too hard. My grandma usually makes banana nut and I'm pretty sure there was always a freezer of vanilla. A few years back my mom made this cherry ice cream for the reunion and it has become my most favorite homemade ice cream flavor. Thanks Mom for another great recipe! I use whole milk instead of half-and-half and don't add any more than 4 cups. 

-Mom Pulsipher

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups heavy cream
4 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cherry extract
1/4 tsp. salt
8 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained and cut in fourths
15 oz. can dark sweet cherries cut in fourths, plus 1/2 cup of the juice (or 2 cups frozen dark sweet cherries, no juice needed)
Additional milk, as needed

Whisk the 3 eggs. Add sugar to eggs and whisk until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Add cream, half-and-half, vanilla, cherry extract, and salt. Refrigerate for half an hour. Stir in cherries and juice. Put in freezer canister. Add a little milk if needed to get a good level. Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream freezer. After churning, place in the freezer, in an air-tight container. It's best to cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals.