Cherry Cola Float Ice Cream

Juicy cherry-vanilla custard swirled with thick, spiced Mexican Coke syrup. It’s a cherry cola float turned frozen fever dream—in the best way.

Prep Time: 1 30

Cook Time: 1

Chill Time: 6

Total Time: 8 30

Servings: quart

Calories: 2854kcal

In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, 50 g of the sugar, and the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are soft and syrupy. Mash slightly or blend with an immersion blender to your desired consistency, chunky or smooth both work. Set aside to cool.
300 g cherries, 1 tbsp lemon juice
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, remaining 100 g sugar, and egg yolks. Whisk to combine, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Keep the heat gentle, you're aiming for slow thickening, not scrambled eggs. Continue until the mixture reaches 175–180°F.
360 g heavy cream, 360 g whole milk, 150 g granulated sugar, 4 large egg yolks
Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in the cherry compote, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and salt. Mix well until fully combined.
1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp almond extract, 1/2 tsp salt
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, until fully cold. To chill faster, place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally.

Add the Coke, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and optional spice to a wide skillet or saucepan (more surface area means faster reduction). Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
360 ml Mexican Coke, 70 g granulated sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 whole allspice berry
Lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer and let it bubble for 20–40 minutes, stirring occasionally. You're aiming to reduce the liquid by half, ending up with about 120 mL of syrup.
Dip in a cold spoon and swipe your finger through the back. If it leaves a clean line, it's ready. Don’t wait for it to look thick while hot, it will thicken significantly as it cools.
Remove any whole spices, stir in the vanilla extract, and let cool completely. If it gets too thick or sticky once chilled, return it to the pan with a splash of water and gently reheat until smooth.

Once the cherry custard base is fully chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Spoon about one-third of the churned ice cream into your storage container. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the cola syrup over the top swirl gently and minimally. Repeat with two more layers of ice cream and syrup. Avoid fully mixing, you're aiming for dramatic syrup swirls, not a uniform blend.
Cover and freeze the assembled ice cream for at least 2–4 hours, until it’s scoopable.

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