Praline Almond Fudge Ice Cream Food

PRALINE ALMOND FUDGE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, flour and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.
• Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs. Add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly.
• Cook 1 minute; remove from heat. Refrigerate 2 hours. Combine whipping cream and vanilla in large bowl; add chilled mixture, stirring with a wire whisk to combine.
• Saute almonds in butter over low heat about 5 minutes. Stir into ice cream mixture.
• Freeze this mixture as directed by the manufacturer.
• Swirl chocolate fudge topping through ice cream after it has stopped churning. (NOTE: This is easier to do as you transfer the ice cream into another container.).

DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a double broiler, melt the chocolate with the coffee powder over hot, not simmering, water.
• In a heavy saucepan, scald the cream and milk with the sugar, salt and vanilla bean (whole).
• Stir to be sur the sugar is dessolved.
• Add the melted chocolate and mix until smooth.
• Remove the vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the chocolate cream.
• Discard the pod.
• Chill the chocolate cream thoroughly, either over ice or in the refrigerator.
• Then freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturers instrunctions.

ALMOND PRALINE ICE-CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Make meringue layers:
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• In a large baking pan toast almonds in one layer in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until fragrant and golden, and cool completely.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Using a 9-inch springform pan as a guide, trace a circle on each piece of parchment and turn paper over. (Circle will show through.)
• In a food processor pulse together almonds, 3/4 cup sugar, and cornstarch until almonds are ground fine. In the large bowl of a standing electric mixer beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until they hold soft peaks. Add almond extract and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in almond mixture gently but thoroughly and divide meringue evenly between parchment circles, spreading it to fill in circles. Bake meringue layers in upper and lower thirds of oven 1 hour, or until golden. (Layers will not be completely firm.) Turn oven off. Switch positions of sheets and let layers stand in oven 2 hours, or until dry. Carefully peel off parchment. Meringue layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator).
• With a small sharp knife trim edges of meringue layers just enough to fit inside springform pan. Put 1 layer in pan.
• Scoop 1 pint ice cream and 1 cup praline butter into bowl of standing mixer and with paddle attachment distribute praline butter evenly throughout ice cream to marbleize it. (Do not over-mix or let ice cream melt.) Spread marbled ice cream over meringue layer in pan and top with remaining meringue layer, gently pressing it into ice cream. Freeze cake, covered with plastic wrap, 30 minutes.
• Beat remaining 1 cup praline butter into remaining 1 pint ice cream in same manner as above and spread over meringue layer. Freeze cake, covered with plastic wrap, at least 30 minutes, or until ice cream is firm.
• In a chilled bowl beat heavy cream with sugar until it just holds stiff peaks and spread over ice cream. Freeze ice-cream cake 30 to 45 minutes, or until whipped cream is firm. Cover cake with plastic wrap and foil and freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Immediately before serving the cake, wrap a warm dampened kitchen towel around side of pan and run a thin knife around cake to loosen it. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a serving plate. Cut cake into wedges with a knife dipped repeatedly in hot water and serve garnished with pieces of almond praline if desired.

PRALINE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Stir milk gradually into egg yolks.
• Add sugar and salt; cook in the top of a double boiler until mixture coats the spoon.
• Chill thoroughly.
• Whip cream to very soft peaks (it won't quite hold its shape).
• Add pralines, vanilla and whipped cream.
• Freeze either in an ice cream maker or in the freezer (if using your freezer, stir twice during freezing to prevent large ice crystals from forming).

ALMOND PRALINE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with foil. In a dry heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden. Add almonds, stirring until coated well, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Working quickly, with a metal spatula spread mixture onto foil about 1/4 inch thick and cool until set, about 3 minutes. Chill praline on foil until hard, about 15 minutes. Chop praline. Praline may be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.