Equipment
Ingredients
Salted Toasted Almonds
- 150 g almonds, raw, whole
- 15 g unsalted butter, melted
- 4 g flaky sea salt
Ice Cream Base
- 480 ml heavy cream
- 240 ml whole milk
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 2 ml almond extract
- 2 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the raw almonds with the melted butter and flaky sea salt. Spread them evenly on a baking sheet.
Remove the almonds from the oven and let them cool completely. Once cool, roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces and set aside in an airtight container.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, half of the granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to steam and simmer around the edges, reaching about 82 degrees Celsius or 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not let it boil.
While the dairy is heating, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining half of the sugar in a mixing bowl until pale yellow and slightly thickened.
Gradually stream about one-third of the hot dairy mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. This tempers the yolks, preventing them from scrambling.
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens to 79 degrees Celsius or 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Strain the custard immediately through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl set over an ice bath to stop the cooking. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Let cool completely, then cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Pour the deeply chilled custard base into the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches the consistency of thick soft-serve.
During the last two minutes of churning, gradually add the chopped salted toasted almonds so they distribute evenly. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours to firm up before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Using a high-quality flaky sea salt like Maldon ensures that the almonds provide bright pops of salinity rather than overwhelming the sweet cream with a uniform saltiness.
- Do not skip the chilling period. A deeply chilled base churns faster, resulting in smaller ice crystals and a much smoother, creamier final texture.
- When tempering the eggs, place a damp towel under your mixing bowl to keep it completely stable while you whisk with one hand and pour hot dairy with the other.
- Adding a small splash of amaretto liqueur to the base before churning can further enhance the almond flavor while lowering the freezing point, yielding an even softer scoop.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Applies to the unchurned custard base only.
Freezer: 2 months — Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals.
