Place the cherries in a sauce pan and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar. Let sit for 30-45 minutes to macerate and draw out juices.

After the juices have been drawn out, cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until the cherries are softened and starting to break down. A syrup will have formed with the cherries.

Put the cherries in a covered bowl and chill in the refrigerator.

Heat milk in a medium sauce pan until hot but not bubbling, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Whisk egg yolks and 1 cup sugar in a mixing bowl until well combined, about 1 minute.

While whisking constantly, slowly pour hot milk into egg yolks and sugar.

Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (about 180 degrees F)

Strain custard base through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. (You can speed up the cooling process by placing the bowl in an ice water bath.)

Add vanilla, heavy cream, and cherry syrup to custard base and combine thoroughly.

Cover and refrigerate until mixture chills to 40 degrees F, several hours or overnight.

Place a freezer safe container for the ice cream in the freezer and let chill.

Churn in an ice machine maker until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, about 20-30 minutes. Add chilled, chopped cherries and churn until well combined, about 1 minute.

Transfer ice cream to chilled container, working quickly so ice cream doesn’t melt. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing so the plastic touches the surface of the ice cream.

Freeze until firm, about 3-4 hours.

Best eaten the day it’s made but can stay in freezer for about 2 days.