I admit that the charms of toasted almond, the most obscure of the holy trinity of Good Humor bars, were completely lost on me as a kid. If you’re an almond bar aficionado, thank your fellow fans for bringing them into this book—honestly, I’d never eaten a bite of one before I started my research.
Color me converted, though; toasted almond truly is the most debonair of the bars. Its subtle flavor, reminiscent of frangipane tarts and marzipan, seems much more Continental than that of its brethren. The almond ice cream on its own is a revelation; if you don’t want to go through the whole bar recipe, just make a batch of the ice cream and serve with homemade caramel sauce.
YIELD: 6 bars
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours, plus chilling time
DIFFICULTY: 4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: ice cream maker, additional ice cream freezer bowl (optional—see Ice Cream 101 on page 187), mini food processor, Popsicle molds, fine-mesh strainer
ALMOND ICE CREAM
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 cups whole or reduced-fat milk
1 cup light cream or whipping cream
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
VANILLA ICE CREAM
1-1/2 cups light cream or whipping cream
1/4 cup (1-3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
CAKE CRUMBS
2 tablespoons roasted, unsalted almonds
1/4 cup (1-1/18 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (3/4 ounce) powdered milk
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
MAKE THE ALMOND ICE CREAM BASE:
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl for 2 minutes, until thickened, light in color, and no longer gritty. Whisk in the flour and salt.
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl.
Bring the milk to a bare simmer in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, then slowly pour it into the egg and sugar mixture in a thin, steady stream while whisking vigorously. (I find it easiest to pour the warm milk back into the measuring cup before drizzling it into the bowl, to avoid having half the liquid run down the side of the saucepan.)
Return the custard base to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes without allowing the liquid to come to a boil. You’ll notice a slow but steady change in the thickness and texture of the liquid, from a loose and sloshy translucence to an opaque custard that feels like melted ice cream. You’ll also notice your spatula or spoon start to “skid” across the bottom of the pan as you reach the custard stage, notifying you that the eggs are emulsifying and the bottom of the pan is developing a thin layer of cooked custard. Don’t panic—when you feel this, you’ll know you’re about a minute away from doneness.
Pour the hot custard through the fine-mesh strainer, allow it to cool in the bowl for 10 minutes, and then stir in the cream and almond extract. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled (or use the quick-cool method, page 188).
MAKE THE VANILLA ICE CREAM BASE:
Bring the cream to a bare simmer in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, just until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla until the sugar is fully dissolved. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled (or use the quick-cool method, page 188).
FREEZE THE ICE CREAM:
When the ice cream bases are fully chilled, first freeze the almond base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream maker has completed its cycle and the ice cream has soft-serve consistency, transfer it to a zip-top bag and make an instant pastry bag by twisting closed (without sealing) and cutting a small triangle off one corner.
Squeeze the almond ice cream into 6 standard (3 to 4-ounce) Popsicle molds, then freeze for at least 2 hours. When the almond pops are frozen, freeze the vanilla ice cream base.
While the almond ice cream freezes, pulse the almonds in a mini food processor just until ground. Don’t overprocess or you’ll end up with almond butter.
Whisk the ground almonds in a medium bowl with the flour, powdered milk, powdered sugar, and cornstarch.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir gently into the almond mixture to form coarse cake clumps.
ASSEMBLE THE BARS:
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper.
Remove the almond bars from the molds and, using an offset spatula or stiff rubber spatula, “frost” each one with a thin layer of vanilla ice cream to completely cover the almond filling. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over both sides, pressing gently to adhere.
Place the finished bars on the prepared baking sheet and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.
Store the bars in the freezer in an airtight container for up to a month.
ALMOND BARS FOR THE NUT-ALLERGIC
Even if you’re allergic to tree nuts, you may still be able to experience the creamy wonder of a Toasted Almond Bar. Many brands of almond extract (including McCormick and Nielsen-Massey) use the pits of stone fruits such as apricots and peaches to derive their almond flavor—the flavor compounds taste nearly identical but are less expensive to extract. Always check labels for disclosure of peanuts or tree nuts in each company’s production facility to ensure a truly allergy-free experience. And you’ll have to leave the ground almonds out of the cake crumb mixture, but it’s a small price to pay.