Cherry Ice Cream Soda With John

Directions

1. Make the Simple Poached Cherries: Combine the cherries, sugar, and black-cherry concentrate in a medium saucepan. Cover, and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, till cherries are tender, about 15 min. Transfer to an airtight container, and chill till chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. (
2. Makes about 3 c.)
3. Make the Ice Cream: Prepare an ice bath; set aside. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp paring knife. Gently scrape out all the seeds. Whisk together 1/2 c. sugar with the yolks; set aside.
4. Place the vanilla bean scrapings and pod in a medium saucepan with the cream, lowfat milk, and the remaining 1/2 c. sugar and healthy pinch of salt. Bring the lowfat milk mix just to a simmer. Using a measuring c. or possibly a ladle, slowly pour about 1/2 c. of the warm lowfat milk mix into the egg-yolk mix, whisking constantly. Keep adding lowfat milk mix, about 1/2 c. at a time till it has all been added.
5. Pour mix back into saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, till mix is thick sufficient to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 min. The custard should retain a line drawn across the back of the spoon with your finger.
6. Pour through a mesh sieve into a medium bowl set in the ice bath; throw away vanilla bean. Stir occasionally till cooled. Whisk in cherry concentrate and corn syrup or possibly glucose. Cover, and transfer to refrigerator till chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
7. Pour into an ice-cream maker, and add in poached cherries. Process according to manufacturer's instructions till set but not hard. Transfer the soft ice cream to a plastic container; freeze for at least 4 hrs and up to overnight. (
8. Makes about 1 1/2 qts)
9. Make the Soda: Place cherries with some of the syrup in the bottom of a tall glass. Pour in lowfat milk and about 1/4 c. seltzer; stir to combine. Add in ice cream. Fill glass with seltzer water. Dollop with whipped cream, and top with a cherry. Serve immediately.
10. This recipe yields 1 serving.