ICE CREAM FOR GROWNUPS

(Texters' names crossed out to protect identities and avoid embarrassment at work.)

The text thread above was about round one. Round two (that I served to eight people) didn't work out so well. It was sickly sweet because the ice cream and caramel mixed and melted together.

Here's a glimpse at round three and what I learned:

Whatever you do, don't stir the caramel and chocolate almond chunks into the vanilla ice cream. Instead, drizzle the caramel and sprinkle the chocolate almond chunks over the top of the just-churned ice cream. And then gently press the goodies down into the soft ice cream pillow. Freeze until hella firm. Then scoop with care. Hopefully you will get a swirl of caramel and a bitter pop of chocolate and a salty crunch of almonds in each creamy bite.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ALMOND CARAMEL SWIRL ICE CREAM
(a few alternate recipe names in text thread above)

printable recipe

serves a few people if you're lucky

1/2 cup caramel sauce, refrigerated

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds

pinch salt

1 1/2 cups half and half

6 egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

pinch salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 vanilla bean, halved and seeds scraped out

pinch salt

Make caramel sauce. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

In a double boiler (or over very low heat), melt chocolate. Turn off heat and stir in almonds and salt. Spread on a piece of parchment on a sheet pan. Freeze. When solid, pry chocolate off of parchment. Chop into pea-sized chunks. Freeze until needed.

Prepare an ice bath. Place a fine strainer over a medium-sized bowl. Immerse bottom of bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Set aside.

Whisk together half and half, yolks, sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring cream and vanilla bean to just under the boil. Remove from heat and slowly whisk into half and half/yolk mixture. Place back on medium heat. Stir the whole time with a wooden spoon until it thickens slightly. It's done when you drag your finger across the back of the spoon and it leaves a trail.

Pour mixture through the strainer into the bowl that's over the ice bath. Leave bowl in the bath until the custard is cool. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Freeze a container for the finished ice cream (I used a loaf pan). Freeze ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions. Place ice cream in cold container. Drizzle caramel and chocolate almond chunks over the top. Use a spoon to press caramel and chunks down into the ice cream. Do not stir. Freeze for a few hours or over night. Carefully scoop so as not to mix in the caramel.