butter almond ice cream

Awhile back, one of my YouTube viewers mentioned a beloved homemade butter almond ice cream they grew up eating. I asked for the recipe. They complied, but then I sat on the recipe for weeks, thinking about it frequently but not making it. As one does.

But then I made it — twice!

With eggs. Obviously.

The first time I followed the recipe as given to me, egg yolks and all. (Which is not my typical style because I have concluded that I am not a huge fan of cooked eggs in my ice cream.)

The ice cream was very (very, very, very) good, and the yellow from the egg yolks added to the whole buttered almond vibe. 

But then I decided to make it again, this time using my standard ice cream base which doesn’t have any eggs and relies on the addition of a corn syrup, cream cheese, and cornstarch (the three Cs) to give it a luscious creamy-dense texture.

Last night my husband and I performed the official taste test.

We both agree that:

1. Both versions of the ice cream are wildly delicious. “It tastes fancy,” is what my husband said.
2. We much preferred the version made with my standard base — the ice cream was much firmer and creamier. (I do kinda miss the golden color from the yolks, though, but I suppose I could always add a couple yolks to the hot mix at the end, if I was so inclined.) 

P.S. I’m loving my new ice cream containers. They are sturdy, they prevent against freezer burn, and they hold the cold. (Two-quart here; one quart here.)

Butter Almond Ice Cream
With inspiration from a recipe from one of my YouTube viewers.

For all ice cream related information, see this post. I am continually updating it with any new ice cream skills that I learn. 

2 cups milk
1 ¼ cups cream
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
4 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with a small glug of milk
1 ½ ounces cream cheese
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon amaretto
buttered almonds (see below)

Combine the milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then keep at a gentle rolling boil for 4 minutes. Whisk in the cornstarch paste and boil for another minute. 

Remove the pan from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, salt, and a bit of the hot milk mixture to create a smooth sauce. Add to the hold milk. If the mixture is not perfectly creamy (I find that the cream cheese makes the mixture pebbly), pour it through a sieve or give it a quick whirl with an immersion blender. Add the almond extract and the amaretto. Chill the mixture thoroughly.

Churn the ice cream. Scoop it into a freezer container, layering in the buttered almonds as you go.

for the buttered almonds:
1 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
flaky salt

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the almonds and stir constantly. Once the almonds begin to get a little toasty, add the sugar. Continue stirring and watch closely — they can burn quickly! Once they are golden brown, immediately transfer them to a plate and sprinkle with the salt. When they have cooled completely, place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess butter. 

Store the buttered almonds in an airtight container in the freezer. Add them to ice cream, salads, or anything else that strikes your fancy.

This same time, years previous: racking mead, made it, five-dollar curtido, the quotidian (9.5.16), in my kitchen: 5:25 pm, the cousins came, a laundry list, rainy day writing.