Fresh Cherry Ice Cream

This fresh cherry ice cream is made with ripe cherries, sugar and whipped cream. So easy and delicious, no churning required. Gin optional! The flavor of my favorite summer fruit shines through. 

I have so many favorite summer fruits that it really is hard to choose just one but fresh cherries are definitely in my top three, along with figs and watermelon. You just can’t buy cherries or figs any other time where I live and watermelon grown out of season or imported is usually not very sweet, which is always disappointing. 

Last summer I got lucky though because I came across whole boxes of cherries at a discounted price and we ate like cherry kings for almost two weeks. Most of them were eaten straight from the box but the rest were turned into muffins, jam, tarts and, finally, this very ice cream. 

Fresh Cherry Ice Cream

If you don’t have fresh cherries, I’d substitute frozen ones but make sure to pit them if they aren’t already pitted. And doublecheck that the pitting process didn’t miss any pits if they are. Nothing will break a tooth faster than biting down on a hard cherry pit when you weren’t expecting one! 

Ingredients

12.5 oz or 354g cherries

1 cup or 240ml water

3/4 cup or 150g sugar

1 2/3 cups or 393ml whipping cream

Optional: 2 tablespoons gin – I used strawberry infused gin for more fruity flavor 

Method

Pit the cherries. Chop them roughly (which helps to check for pits you might have missed!) and set aside a few for garnish for when you are freezing the ice cream later. 

Pulse the cherries briefly in a food processor. You want small chunks, NOT puree. 

In a pot large enough to hold the cherry chunks, dissolve the sugar in the water over a medium high heat and then heat to boiling.

Add in the cherries.

Cook until the liquid is reduced by about half and the temperature just reaches 220°F or 104°C. This could take as many as 20-25 minutes.

Remove the cherries from the heat and transfer them to another vessel to cool. 

Once they are cool, whip the cream to soft peaks. 

Gently fold a couple of spoonsful of the cream into the cooled cherries.

Then fold the cherries and cream into the rest of the cream. 

Gently does it! You don’t want to deflate the air in the whipped cream. 

Add the gin, if using, and fold again. This isn’t essential but I think it makes the ice cream easier to scoop and serve. 

Spoon the ice cream into a freezer friendly container with a lid. Top with the reserved chopped cherries then cover and freeze until set. 

Remove from the freezer 15-20 minutes before you want to serve it. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 9th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter I. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the I recipes below:

• Sneha’s Recipe: Instant Urad Dal Flour & Rava Medhu Vadas 
• Blogghetti: Italian Chopped Salad 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Ice Apple Salad 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Ice Cream Wafflewiches 
• Food Lust People Love: Fresh Cherry Ice Cream 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Italian Ice 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Iced Gems 
• A Messy Kitchen: Irish Colcannon Mac and Cheese 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sun-Dried Tomato & Kale Italian Pasta Salad 
• Culinary Cam: Es Teler (Indonesian Drunk Ice)

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake 

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

E. Whipped Espresso Cream 

F. Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken 

G. Extra Herby Gremolata 

H. Smoked Herring Spread 

I.  Fresh Cherry Ice Cream – this post!

Pin this Fresh Cherry Ice Cream! 

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Smoked Herring Spread

This smoked herring spread is lovely on crackers but I’ve also been known to pile it on a piece of soft bread, fold it in half and call it a sandwich. Its strong flavors stand up well to whatever you want to spread it on or dip into it. (Like carrots, celery or cucumber!)

In the UK, they call smoked herring kippers. They are a beloved breakfast item, either on their own with eggs or in kedgeree, a rice dish of Indian origin. 

Just last summer we were in London staying at a friend’s club and kippers were on the breakfast menu. I did not partake but another table ordered some. How did I know what another table well across the dining room ordered? Because the fishy smell traveled!

As we finished our breakfast and left the room, we passed by those very diners who were tucking in to their kippers, eggs and hot buttered toast. Big smiles all round! These were clearly quality smoked kippers and not from a tin. You are either a fan of fish or you are not. I am one!

Here in the States, we consider ourselves lucky to get the tinned ones at a nearby gourmet store.  Why they are called "snacks" is beyond me. 

Smoked Herring Spread

For the hot sauce, we like Louisiana Hot Sauce, the habanero version, but truly your favorite will work. I put just a few drops because I wanted to share this with my mother-in-law and she can’t handle pepper heat. Just for us, I’d have used more so you do you. The smoked herring flavor can absolutely stand up to more spicy heat. 

Ingredients

3.54 oz or 100g can smoked herring aka kippers

1-2 green onions

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons (42g) cream cheese, softened

Zest of half a lemon

freshly ground black pepper

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Lemon juice to taste

Optional but recommended: Several drops hot sauce or to taste

Method

Chop the green onions finely. Set aside a little of the green part for garnish. 

Drain the smoked herring and flake with a fork in a mixing bowl. 

Add in the chopped green onion, mayonnaise and cream cheese, mixing well. 

Add a couple of grinds of black, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Stir well to combine.

Add hot sauce, if desired.  

Spoon the spread into a ramekin or small bowl. Top with reserved green onions. 

Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least four hours or if you have the time, overnight. 

Serve with crackers or crudités. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 8th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter H. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the H recipes below:

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Asian Beef Bowls 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Baked Homemade Buttery Herb Croutons
• Blogghetti: Copycat Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning 
• A Messy Kitchen: Dutch Hagelslag 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Grilled Halloumi Salad 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Homemade Mango Frooti 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Honey Mustard Breaded Chicken 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Hurricane Popcorn 
• Food Lust People Love: Smoked Herring Spread 

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake 

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

E. Whipped Espresso Cream 

F. Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken 

G. Extra Herby Gremolata 

H. Smoked Herring Spread – this post!

Pin this Smoked Herring Spread!

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Extra Herby Gremolata

Gremolata is usually made with just three main ingredients: flat-leaf parsley, fresh garlic, and lemon zest. This extra herby gremolata includes basil as well! 

I love this stuff! It adds so much pep and flavor to anything it’s added to. This small batch extra herby gremolata is perfect spooned on top of pan-fried fish and chicken breasts. Or as an accompaniment to grilled beef and lamb.

If you’ve got fresh herbs growing in your garden, feel free to add more kinds and/or different herbs altogether. I give you permission to still call it gremolata because, truly, who cares as long as it tastes great! You might recall I shared one last year made with fresh asparagus. So good! 

This time around I actually tossed this with some hot boiled new potatoes for a whole new side dish. I just checked back through my photos in case I had a photo of that but, sadly, no. Trust me, it was good. 

Extra Herby Gremolata

Any very tender stems can be left on the herbs, otherwise, use only the leaves. As mentioned above, mix and match your favorite herbs. 

Ingredients

1/2 lemon (for zest and juice)

1 clove garlic

Small bunch basil leaves, about 1/8 cup, tightly packed, or 10g

Small bunch parsley, about 1/8 cup, tightly packed, or 10g

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Few good grinds black pepper

Method

Rinse the leaves well with cool water and use a salad spinner to dry them well.

Peel, crush then mince the garlic.  

Finely mince the herbs. 

Grate the lemon zest into a small bowl. 

Add the minced garlic and herbs to the lemon zest along with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir well. 

Set aside for about 30-45 minutes to give the flavors time to blend. If not using till much later, refrigerate until ready to use. This can easily be made a day ahead. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 7th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter G. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the G recipes below:

• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Ginger Salad Dressing 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Gravy Wali Gatte Ki Sabji 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Stir-Fried Tomato Ginger Beef 
• Food Lust People Love: Extra Herby Gremolata 
• Culinary Cam: Garlicky Fregola with Edamame, Mint, and Ricotta 
• Blogghetti: Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Guava Salad, Burmese Style 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Garlic Honey Chicken Thighs 
• A Messy Kitchen: Gâteau Ardéchois (Chestnut Cream Cake)
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Guinness Stout Crockpot Simmered Corned Beef

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake 

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

E. Whipped Espresso Cream 

F. Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken 

G. Extra Herby Gremolata – this post!

Pin this Extra Herby Gremolata!

.

Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken

Deliciously savory, a little bit sweet and spicy, this delectable fish sauce roasted chicken will have you licking your fingers and asking for more! 

Many years ago, back in my early days of blogging, I “met” a fellow expat who lived in Japan, then moved to Shanghai. I loved reading Nancy’s posts as she explored her new neighborhood and found seasonal produce to eat and dishes to recreate. 

She shared her version of this fish sauce roasted chicken which came from Australian chef and cookbook author Adam Liaw’s Asian After Work. After I made it once, I was determined to find myself a copy of that cookbook since Nancy said it was great! 

I saved the search on various used bookselling sites back in 2014 or 2015. Occasionally I got emails that a copy was available but always for some ridiculously high price and usually with shipping from Australia, which was also crazy high. But 2024 was finally THE YEAR. And I now have the wonderful Asian After Work! So I figured it was time to share my version. 

Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken 

Adam Liaw calls for a whole cilantro plant in his recipe, using even the roots which is common in many Asian recipes. Unfortunately, most of us can’t find whole plants with roots in our supermarkets so we have make do with just the stems and leaves. Still delicious! 

Ingredients

For roasting the chicken:

2.2 lbs or 1kg chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat 

1 onion, peeled and cut into slices

For the marinade:

1/3 cup or 80ml fish sauce (I like Squid brand, if you can find it.)

1 small bunch cilantro, stems and all, chopped, plus extra for garnish

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

3 birdseye chili peppers, finely sliced

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C on the fan-forced setting or 375°F or 190°C if you don’t have a convection oven.

 

In a roasting pan, mix all of the marinade ingredients together, and stir well to dissolve the sugar. 

Add the chicken thighs to the roasting pan and spoon the marinade over turning them to coat. 

Tuck the sliced onion under the thighs and roast in the preheated oven, skin side up. 

Roast for 40 minutes, basting every 10-15 minutes. 

Remove the chicken when the skin is sticky and dark and the meat is cooked through. Garnish with a little chopped cilantro. 

Serve in a puddle of sauce with the onions. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 6th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter F. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the F recipes below:

• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: French Onion Soup 
• Blogghetti: Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Fluffy Focaccia with Garlic Oil and Herbes de Provence 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Firni/Phirni 
• Food Lust People Love: Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Fattoush Salad 
• A Messy Kitchen: Fennel, Tangerine & Olive Slaw 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Roasted Vegetable Farro Bowl 
• Culinary Cam: Fig Leaf-Wrapped Cheese 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sausage Meatballs with Vodka Fennel Sauce

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake 

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

E. Whipped Espresso Cream 

F. Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken – this post!

Pin this Fish Sauce Roasted Chicken!

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Whipped Espresso Cream

This rich whipped espresso cream is just sweet enough to qualify as dessert with a good hit of bitter coffee. It’s the perfect after dinner pick me up! 

I grew up drinking café au lait, my grandmother’s bitter dark roast coffee warmed with milk and sugar in her little enamel pot. If I close my eyes, I can still smell her warm kitchen, redolent of fried chicken, roux and onions, with a hint of mothballs that seemed to linger year-round. It was probably my favorite place on earth. 

My grandmother gave me a love of coffee that has lasted my whole life. The aroma as coffee brews is the best smell to wake up to! In fact, even as a child, my favorite ice cream flavor was coffee. That’s why I love this easy dessert. 

Whipped Espresso Cream

This makes four servings. It takes just minutes to make and can be eaten right away or chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, plus more to sprinkle on top

1/3 cup or 41g powdered sugar

1/4 cup or 60ml hot water

1 1/4 cups or 300ml whipping cream

Pinch cream of tartar

Optional for decoration (and eating!): Chocolate-covered espresso beans

Method

In a small bowl, dissolve the espresso powder and sugar in the hot water, stirring well until it is completely liquid. 

Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until cold. 

Whisk the whipping cream with the cream of tartar until you have medium hard peaks. As you can see, I use my stand mixer for this step but you can use electric beaters. 

Add a couple of good spoons of the whipped cream to the coffee mixture and fold to combine. 

Add the coffee/cream mixture to the cream bowl.

Fold gently till it’s almost homogeneous. A few little streaks of espresso are fine. 

Spoon the whipped espresso cream in four pretty glasses or ramekins. Sprinkle some more espresso powder on top.

Add a few chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired.  

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 5th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2025, brought to you by the letter E. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the E recipes below:

• A Messy Kitchen: Eggs Benedict for One or Two 
• Blogghetti: Easy Easter Egg Sugar Cookies 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Egg Jalfrezi 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Espresso Martinis 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Avocado Egg Salad Cups 
• Culinary Cam: A Dozen Eggs - Stuffed, Scotch, Curried, and More 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Pork and Cabbage Egg Rolls 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Escargot a la Bourguignon
• Food Lust People Love: Whipped Espresso Cream 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Cajun Deviled Eggs Garnished with Pickled Okra 
• Palatable Pastime: Emerald Isle Pub Spread

Here are my posts for the 2025 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Roasted Asparagus Soup

B: Blistered Sugar Snap Peas

C. Jersey Royal Chicken Chorizo Traybake 

D. Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam 

E. Whipped Espresso Cream – this post!

Pin this Whipped Espresso Cream! 

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