cherry-milkshake-edible-perspectives-crdt-ashley-mclaughlin

Grilled Cherry Milkshake

Name: Grilled Cherry Milkshake
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

RECIPE: Ashley McLaughlin, Edible Perspectives

Photo: Ashley McLaughlin

June 26, 2015

Grilling fruit is a great way to bring a little edge to your summer cocktails, but we’ll never look at cherries the same way after trying this outstanding milkshake.

Grilling fruit is a great way to bring a little extra edge to your summer cocktails, but we’ll never look at cherries the same way after trying this incredibly delicious milkshake recipe from Ashley McLaughlin, keeper of the beautiful site Edible Perspective.

Cooking the jammy fruits helps take their perky flavor to a new level, contributing a slightly caramelized flavor that McLaughlin says is “just enough to not be overpowering” but helps “sweeten up the cherries even more.”

And in case you don’t have a grill, McLaughlin says roasting the cherries in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 10 to 15 minutes will produce a similar effect.

Ingredients

Yield:2-3

1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz.)
1 can light coconut milk, or unsweetened almond milk
1 lb. fresh bing cherries
2-3 Tbsp. coconut nectar, or agave/honey
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

Whisk the contents of the full fat coconut milk until fully combined then pour into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid [the smaller the ice cubes the better for blending]. Chill the can of light coconut milk in the fridge.

Preheat your grill to 375 degrees F. De-stem, pit and halve the cherries. Spread evenly on a grill pan and grill, turning once or twice for about 10 minutes. You want the cherries bubbly and starting to char. Remove from the heat, place in a bowl, and set in the fridge to fully chill.

Place 1/2 of the coconut milk ice cubes in your blender and pulse to crush. Add in 1 tbsp. or so [more if desired] of liquid sweetener and 3/4 tsp. of vanilla extract. Stream in the light coconut milk slowly with the blender on until it starts to incorporate. Use the tamper or scrape the sides/bottom a few times to keep things moving. Add more coconut milk as needed until smooth, keeping as thick as possible.

Pour in a bowl and place in the freezer. Repeat the above step for the second milkshake, pour in a bowl, and place in the freezer as well. If the mixtures became too thin in the blender keep them in the freezer for an hour or so to frost over and thicken. Stir well before topping over the cherries.

Rinse out your blender and place the cherries in it. Blend until puréed. Pour equal amounts into 2 glasses then top with the coconut milk mixture. Stir to combine and serve immediately.