Almond Ice Food

ALMOND ICE

Steps:

• Soften gelatin in 1 cup cold water. Add 2 1/4 cups boiling water and sugar. Stir until thoroughly dissolved. Add 3 cups cold water and the almond extract. Mix well.
• Pour gelatin mixture into a 9x13 inch pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Cut into 1 inch squares and serve in a bowl with cut fruits.

ALMOND DELIGHT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Beat sugar into the eggs in small amounts, assuring each addition dissolves completely before introducing the next.
• Whisk cream, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the egg mixture; fold almonds into mixture.
• Pour into the container of an ice cream maker; freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

GRILLED-PEACH AND ALMOND ICE POPS

Steps:

• Prepare a grill or large grill pan for high heat. Bring the ginger, sugar and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-low for 10 minutes. Let cool completely at room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush the peach halves all over with the butter. Place them cut-side down on the grill, and grill until very charred, about 5 minutes. Flip the peaches, and grill until the rounded side is charred in spots and the peaches are tender but not falling apart, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Put the cooled peaches, preserves, 1/2 cup of the almond milk, lemon juice and a small pinch of salt in a blender. Strain the cooled ginger syrup into the blender, pressing the ginger pieces in the strainer with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible; discard the ginger. Puree the peach mixture until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender partway through if needed. Transfer the mixture to a large liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout.
• Pour the mixture into the ice-pop molds, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top (the mixture will expand). Insert the sticks. Freeze until solid, 5 hours to overnight.
• When ready to serve, put the remaining 1/2 cup almond milk in one drinking glass and the almonds in another. Unmold the ice pops, and dip the top of each into the almond milk, then into the almonds. Serve immediately.

ALMOND ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cook ½ cup sliced almonds with the sugar and the salt over medium heat until deeply golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reserve.
• In the same pot, toast 1 cup sliced almonds until deeply golden, about 5 minutes. Add cream, milk, sugar and salt to the pot and simmer until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream.
• Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). Remove from heat and let steep 1 hour.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down hard on the solids. Add almond extract to base and cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Break reserved caramelized nuts into pieces and add to base during the last 2 minutes of churning. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

ALMOND ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the almond paste and sugar in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the almond extract and salt.
• Bring the half and half to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Slowly beat the hot half and half into the almond paste mixture. Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and place over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble.
• Remove from the heat and pour the hot almond custard through a stainer into a large, clean bowl. Allow the custard to cool slightly, then stir in the heavy cream. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.
• Stir the chilled custard, then freeze in 1 or 2 batches in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for at least 2 minutes. In a large heavy saucepan, heat milk to 175°; stir in sugar and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour a small amount of hot mixture into eggs. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture reaches at least 160° and coats the back of a metal spoon.
• Remove from the heat. Stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved; stir in chocolate until blended. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Stir in cream and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
• Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full with chilled custard; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Stir in toasted almonds. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. Allow to ripen in refrigerator freezer for 2-4 hours before serving.

BUTTER-ALMOND ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, and eggs in a heavy medium saucepan, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat back of a spoon and registers 175°F on an instant-read thermometer. Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool completely, stirring frequently, then chill, covered, until very cold, at least 8 hours.
• Meanwhile, cook almonds in butter with a scant 1/4 teaspoon salt in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until butter and almonds are pale golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker, then fold in almonds with butter. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.