NO-CHURN CHERRY PIE SUNDAES

No-Churn Cherry Pie Sundaes image

All the flavors of classic cherry pie à la mode, reimagined in a sundae. Make the components, including a fabulous no-churn vanilla ice cream, ahead for a perfect summer dessert on demand, or spoon the warm cherry sauce over the ice cream to emulate a fresh-from-the-oven slice.

Provided by Erin Jeanne McDowell

Categories dessert

Time 4h35m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 1/2 pounds pitted cherries (fresh or thawed frozen, ideally sour cherries)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Whipped cream, for serving, optional
Maraschino cherries, for garnish, optional

Steps:

For the ice cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the cream, vanilla and almond extract on medium-high speed until it holds soft peaks.
With the mixer running, add the condensed milk in a slow, steady stream until it's fully incorporated. Continue to whip until the mixture holds medium peaks. Add the salt and mix to combine. Spread the mixture evenly into an 8-inch-square pan. Cover the pan and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
For the pie crust streusel: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl to combine. Roll the pie dough out until it is 1/4-inch thick (if it's pre-rolled, simply roll it a few times to flatten). Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips horizontally, then cut down in 1-inch wide strips vertically to create a bunch of small squares.
Transfer the dough squares to the bowl with the cinnamon sugar, then drizzle with the cream. Toss the mixture until evenly combined. Transfer in a single layer to the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely.
For the cherry sauce: Stir the cherries and lemon juice together in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the sugar over the cherries and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture becomes saucy and the cherries start to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch together to combine. Sprinkle this mixture over the fruit, then whisk immediately to combine. Continue to cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Serve warm, or cool completely.
To assemble the sundaes, spoon some sauce into bowls and swirl it around a bit. Scoop ice cream into the bowls, then spoon more sauce on top. Sprinkle each with a generous amount of pie crust crumbles, and top with whipped cream if using and garnish each with a cherry if using.