Cherry Nut Ice Cream

This is an ice cream variation everyone likes; very festive looking too.  I got this idea from Myrna's daughter Amy.  My amounts of cherries and nuts are approximate – use what you like.  This makes a little over a quart.  
We like this recipe using only one egg and a little cornstarch for the mixture.  It’s not too rich, but is still creamy.  I occasionally add 1 teaspoon Amaretto to this mixture before processing; it seems to keep the ice cream from getting too hard.  This is a "make-ahead" recipe; you need to start it a day before you serve it.

Cherry Nut Ice Cream

     ½    Cup  Sugar

  2        Tablespoons  Cornstarch

            Dash  Salt

  2        Cups  Whole Milk

  1        Cup  Heavy Cream

  1        Large  Egg Yolk

  1 ½    Teaspoons  Vanilla Extract

     ½    Cup  Maraschino Cherries – drained well and cut up

     ½    Cup  Nuts -- broken (pecans or walnuts)

     ½    Cup  Miniature Chocolate Chips -- optional

 Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Pour about one cup of the hot mixture into the lightly beaten egg yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla. Cool one hour, stirring occasionally.

Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.  Add the fruit and nuts at the end of freezing or stir in before putting in the freezer to ripen (about 2-4 hours).

  "1 Quart"