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Cherry Ripple Gelato
Cherry Ripple Gelato
Bursting with fresh fruit and juicy fruit puree, this cherry ripple gelato is the best treat to enjoy on a hot summer day.
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This is my favorite way of making gelato this time of year. This cherry ripple gelato is bursting with fresh fruit and juicy fruit puree, making it an elegant dessert–and the best treat to enjoy on a hot summer day.
Helpful Tips for Making Cherry Ripple Gelato
Use the ripest cherries you can find—or pick up a bag of frozen ones
Plump cherries that feel soft to the touch are the juiciest and deliver the most aromatic flavor in this cherry ripple gelato. Although this frozen treat is perfect for celebrating cherry season—early June to mid-August—you can also make this gelato with frozen cherries. Frozen fruits are generally packaged at their ripest, so you can be sure gelato produced with frozen cherries will be delicious. Bonus points: frozen cherries come pitted!
Invest in a cherry pitter
If you love cherries, you simply need a cherry pitter. Let’s all be honest here: pitting cherries is a pain. I should know—I’ve probably halved and pitted thousands of cherries in my time. It’s not that hard, but a few years ago, I succumbed to the lure of a cherry pitter. The purchase was motivated by both a hungry toddler and an impulsive want for a shiny new kitchen gadget (because I deserve it! haha). The Oxo cherry pitter had been on my Amazon wish list for years and let me tell you, it was worth every penny. Like all Oxo gadgets, it’s sturdy, comfortable to use, efficient, and easy to clean. And at about $15, it’s pretty affordable too. From the first cherry I pitted in less than a second, I haven’t looked back! I promise Oxo did not sponsor me for telling you this. I’m just a huge fan and I promise you: if you’re as serious a cherry lover as I am, this gadget won’t gather dust at the back of your drawer.
Plan Ahead
As with all gelato flavors, you should start the cherry ripple gelato-making process a day in advance. Both the cherry puree and the gelato base need to be refrigerated to cool completely before being combined and churned together. Gelato custard must be very cold before churning: this will produce the smoothest, silkiest texture.
Bring Cherry Ripple Gelato Back to Room Temp Before Serving
Always remember to bring this cherry ripple gelato to room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving. That will not only make it easier to serve—gelato’s lower fat content means it freezes rock hard—but also soften it to a consistency closer to what you would enjoy at a gelati bar, waking up the flavors and giving it the luxurious texture that is so easy to fall in love with.
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More Delicious Homemade Gelato Recipes
Love gelato? Then you need to give these irresistibly fruity, homemade gelato recipes a try.
Cherry Ripple Gelato
Ingredients
For the gelato base
- 1 batch Sicilian-Style Gelato Base (preferred) or Classic Gelato Base (omit the vanilla bean)
For the cherry puree
- 2 cups pitted cherries, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
To assemble
- ½ cup pitted cherries, diced
- 1 tbsp cherry liqueur (also called Cherry Heering) or kirsch (cherry brandy) (optional, helps keep gelato at a softer texture even when fully frozen)
Instructions
- For the gelato base: Make the gelato base of your choice, then strain it into an airtight container. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. The gelato base must be very cold before churning: this will produce the smoothest, silkiest texture.
- To make the cherry puree: Place the cherries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the cherries are soft and the mixture has thickened. Puree using a stand blender, a stick blender, or a food processor. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until completely cool.
- Measure out 1 cup (250 ml) cherry puree. (Keep remaining puree, if any, to add to smoothies or serve over cake.)Pour ½ cup (125 ml) of the cherry puree into the gelato ustard base and whisk to thoroughly combine. Transfer the cherry custard to the bowl of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Stop the machine when the gelato is icy but still soft.
- To assemble the gelato: Spread a third of the frozen gelato over the bottom of an airtight container or a loaf pan. Drizzle a third of the remaining cherry puree, and sprinkle with a third of the diced cherries. Add another layer of gelato, then drizzle with another third of the cherry puree and a third of the diced cherries. Top with the remaining gelato, then drizzle the top with the remaining cherry puree and sprinkle with the remaining diced cherries.
- STORAGE: If you used a loaf pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, or cover if you used a container. Freeze the cherry ripple gelato until firm, at least 2 hours. Cherry ripple gelato is at its creamiest and best if enjoyed within 2 weeks. Past that, some ice crystals will inevitably start forming (especially if the gelato is kept in the freezer section of a regular fridge, as opposed to a chest freezer) and the texture won't be quite as smooth. The gelato will still be perfectly edible for up to 2 months, but my advice is: enjoy it as quickly as possible after churning.
- SERVING: Always take cherry ripple gelato out to room temperature 20 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop. This will also allow you to enjoy the treat at its ideal temperature and texture.
- MAKE IT VEGAN: Get my recipe and instructions for making vegan gelato.
Did you make this?
Tell me how you liked it! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag it with @foodnouveau on Instagram.
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Author: Marie Asselin
I am confused because all recipes state that the yield is “2 quarts” of gelato. However, the Sicilian gelato base uses only about 3 cups of liquid, while the fruit gelati use the base plus 2 cups of fruit puree for a total of about 5 cups of liquid. My experience with the ice cream maker is that the volume expands by about 1/3 when freezing, but even so, neither one of these recipes would make 2 quarts of gelato. By my estimate, the vanilla gelato base would make about 1 quart, and the fruit gelato would make about 1.5 quarts. Can I adjust the recipes to yield equal volumes of vanilla and fruit gelato?
Hello Rob! Thanks for your comment. The 1 qt yield was a typo, the recipe indeed should say 1 1/2 qt (I just fixed it). Even so, as you say, liquids expand once frozen so the yield is an approximation.
You can absolutely adjust the recipes to combine equal volumes of gelato base and fruit puree! The cherry flavor will simply be more intense. You can’t go wrong!
This cherry gelato looks amazing! I actually live in a cherry growing area in Italy and when they’re in season I pick cherries from the trees near my house! I’m always looking for ways to use them and this gelato recipe is calling my name. Bookmarking for next cherry season!
Lucky you!! This gelato will be a delightful way to make the most of those juicy sweet seasonal cherries.
This looks absolutely gorgeous! What a scrumptious frozen treat. The swirls are so beautiful too…I need to make this before the season is over :)
Such a wonderful authentic flavor!! I loved every bite of it! So worth the time it takes to make it!!
It’s a deliciously rewarding summer treat!!
This cherry gelato was perfect! We LOVED the flavor and it was so easy, too! Thanks!
Happy you loved it Erin!
Gelato class, check! Now I am going to try this mouthwatering recipe – I have fresh and frozen cherries for the win ;)
All set and ready to go then! Let me know how you liked it :)
I absolutely love any ice cream that contains cherries and this gelato is amazing!! I came out perfect and did not last long ;-)
So happy you enjoyed this colorful gelato LaKita, it’s one of my favorites!
My family prefers gelato to ice cream and they adored this cherry ripple version so much, they ate the entire batch in one weekend. I’ll be making more next weekend, but this time doubling the recipe, LOL!
It’s more work when a dessert disappears so quickly, but always a good sign! Keep churning Marta!
Incredibly good! Looks impressive and tastes amazing.
Wow this is a good looking ice cream! Cherries are my guilty pleasure and so it is ice cream. Trying your recipe this weekend thanks for all the tips!
You’re going to love this gelato Adriana. It’s a cherry lover’s dream! Let me know how it goes!