There’s a whole sub-section in Greek cooking called “spoon sweets”. In essence, fruits (and sometimes vegetables) are preserved in sugar and jarred with syrup. The most common are citrus, stone fruits and they are served to guests of a home with a glass of cold water.
My favourite is sour cherry (Vissino) – served on its own but I love it on Greek yogurt or on top of ice cream.
Today, I am going to use Vissino to make a flavoured ice cream. I am a big fan of “no churn” ice creams – no ice cream maker required, just a stand mixer or hand mixer will do!
Full fat whipping cream, powdered sugar or condensed milk, almond extract or liqueur and….vissino. Let’s make ice cream!
Sour Cherry Ice Cream
(serves 6)
2 cups 35% cold cream
1 cup powdered sugar (or can of condensed milk)
1/4 tsp. almond extract (or a shot of Amaretto liqueur)
1/4 cup sour cherry syrup
1 cup of sour cherry (from preserve), chopped
- Add cream into a bowl, whip (use whisk attachment of stand mixer) for 3-4 minutes or until soft peaks form.
- Slowly add the sugar, extract and syrup.
- Use a spatula to fold in the chopped cherries.
- Transfer ice cream mix into a loaf pan or plastic container. Cover with plastic wrap and place lid on.
- Freeze for 5 hours or overnight. Serve with a garnish of more vissino spoon sweet on top.
Sour cherry preserve can be purchased from Greek, Balkan or Middle-Eastern specialty shops or you may order online.
7 Responses
Peter, it sounds delicious!! ???If you’re using a stand mixer, which of the mixing attachments would you use, the flat edge beater or the wire whisks? Thank you, Eva
Eva, use the wire whisk.
Thank you Peter. Will let you know how it turns out!
By powdered sugar do you mean icing sugar or regular crystal sugar? Thanks
Powdered sugar = icing sugar.
Hi Peter, I have a hard time finding heavy whipping cream in Greece that does not have carageenan in it. In fact I have not found a brand yet that does not have this gut irritating ingredient. My spouse is allergic to it so we can’t make it with cream. Could we use full fat strained Greek yogurt? How much yogurt in place of the cream?
You are looking for “crema galaktos”. This recipe won’t work with yogurt because you have to whip air into the cream.