I debated over what to name this dessert. The recipe that inspired it was in a recent issue of Cooking Light and was called a sorbet, but I felt that the rich, smooth taste of the dessert did not really fit the sorbet name. To me, sorbet inspires an icier treat and not a creamy one, not to mention the fact that most sorbets contain no dairy products at all. Ice creams usually have cream in them, but I think that in this case we can make an exception because the dessert, Black Cherry Buttermilk Ice Cream, is delicious enough to satisfy any ice cream lover.

The ice cream is very easy to make because it involves no cooking whatsoever. The resulting dish is light, tangy and completely refreshing. I love the flavor of the cherries with the buttermilk. You can use fresh or frozen black cherries in this recipe. If you're using fresh, be sure to pit them in advance. If you're using frozen, let them defrost (and drain) for a few minutes before making the ice cream, otherwise the ice crystals from the cherries will result in a few ice chips in the final product.

You do need an ice cream maker (I use this one) to make this dessert. It is crucial to getting the right texture. There are a wide range of ice cream makers on the market and it is not necessary to get an expensive one to get good results. If you use it on a regular, or semi-regular basis, it's worth the money for the machine to get to experiment with your own ice cream creations.

Black Cherry Buttermilk Ice Cream
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1 1/4 cups black cherries (fresh or frozen)

Heat 1/2 cup of the buttermilk in the microwave until it is warm, but not hot. Pour it into a large bowl and whisk in the sugar until it is completely dissolved. Stir in remaining buttermilk and the vanilla extract.
Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and add in the cherries. Freeze as directed.
Transfer to a freezer-friendly container with a lid and freeze until firm (at least 30 minutes) before serving.

Serves 6.

Recipe by Nicole Weston.

Another variation of this same recipe is Banana Buttermilk Ice Cream.