CHERRY ALMOND ICE CREAM

When we worked at the restaurant 42 Degrees, the co- owner (and our friend) Katie Dyer would eagerly anticipate the arrival of summer’s cherries, because it meant we would soon be making her favorite flavor of ice cream. It takes a little time to pit the cherries, but you’ll find the effort well worth the sublime taste combination of toasted almonds and sweet cherries. Make this as soon as you see cherries looking wonderful at the market because they don’t stay around for long!

The type of strainer you use will have a significant impact on the texture of this ice cream. A superfine-mesh strainer (called a chinois) will produce a very smooth ice cream, while a regular fine-mesh wire strainer will produce a more rustic-textured ice cream.

MAKES ABOUT: 1 QUART

TECHNIQUE: Ice cream

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Ice cream machine

INFUSING AND CHILLING TIME: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours or overnight

SHELF LIFE: 1 week

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CHERRIES

• 2¼ cups sugar
• 1½ cups water
• 2 cups cherries

FOR THE BASE

• ¾ cup whole raw almonds
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup 1% or 2% milk
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 large egg yolks

INSTRUCTIONS:

POACH THE CHERRIES

1. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the sugar and the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, add the cherries, and cook until the cherries are soft and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let the cherries cool completely in the syrup.
4. Once cool, drain the cherries and squeeze the pits out of the fruit.
5. Chop the cherries into ¼-inch pieces. Refrigerate until you’re ready to churn the ice cream.

TIP: The leftover syrup is infused with lots of fabulous cherry flavor. Drizzle it over ice cream, swirl it into club soda, or use it in our recipes calling for simple syrup.

PREPARE THE NUTS

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake until the nuts are golden brown and smell nutty, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
4. Combine the cooled nuts and the sugar in a food processor.
5. Pulse until very finely ground (about the consistency of sand). Do not overprocess or the mixture will become oily and pasty.

INFUSE THE MILK/CREAM

1. Transfer the almond mixture to a heavy nonreactive saucepan and stir in the cream, milk, and salt.
2. Uncover the cream mixture and put the pan over medium-high heat.
3. When the mixture just begins to bubble around the edges, remove from the heat and cover the pan.
4. Let steep for about 20 minutes, or until a distinct almond flavor has infused into the mixture. (Taste it to monitor the progress.)

MAKE THE BASE

1. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up. Set aside.
2. Put the pan over medium-high heat.
3. When the mixture approaches a bare simmer, reduce the heat to medium.
4. Carefully scoop out about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture and, whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks.
5. Repeat, adding another ½ cup of the hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.
6. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowly pour the egg-and-cream mixture from the bowl into the pan.
7. Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, coats the back of a spatula, and holds a clear path when you run your finger across the spatula, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
8. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.
9. Set the container into an ice-water bath, wash your spatula, and use it to stir the base occasionally until it is