Homemade chocolate cherry ice cream

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups halved, pitted cherries (about 400 grams whole cherries)
• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum or water
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 90 g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 30 g unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Place the cherries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and rum in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, heat the milk and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and gradually add 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture.
   
   Then pour the egg mixture into the pan and stir. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes out soft and sticks to a spoon (a thermometer should read 75°C), about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and butter, and let sit for 5 minutes, until the chocolate has melted.
3. Pour the chocolate mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and stir in the cream and vanilla. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
4. Stir the cooled chocolate mixture into an ice cream maker. Strain the cherry mixture, reserving the syrup. When the ice cream has thickened, add the cherries and mix thoroughly. Transfer the ice cream to a heat-proof bowl. Drizzle with the remaining cherry syrup and spread evenly over the surface. Cover the ice cream and freeze for 4 hours, until firm.