Cool and Hot Habanero Almond Ice Cream

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I adapted this recipe from a very simple, basic egg based Vanilla ice cream recipe. It's very flavorful, starts out cool and creamy, then leaves you with a wonderful burn that I simply love. A very nice ending for just about any Southwestern or other meal. I like to drizzle a little Amaretto liqueur over the top for an added bit of flavor, then sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt on top.
This ice cream can be made with just about any hot peppers, I just really like the flavor (and burn) of habanero peppers. I have also made this with jalapenos and serranos (less afterburn but still great flavor), and even some Bhut Jolokia Ghost Peppers which are hard to find and are very tasty and super HOT, far hotter than even the habanero peppers).

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups blanched sliced almonds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons almond oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped Habanero peppers
  • 1 quart heavy cream
  • 1 quart half and half
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 6 well beaten egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt

Preparation

Step 1

Lightly toast almonds in a skillet or oven, cool slightly, then put in a blender and pulse til very fine ground. Set aside.

Step 2

In a small skillet, heat the oil and sautee chopped peppers til softened, remove from pan and set aside.

Step 3

In top of a double boiler over boiling water, heat the cream and half and half, adding 1 1/2 cups of sugar and stirring or whisking til sugar is dissolved (Do not let
mixture boil!!). Slowly add about 1/4 cup of the hot cream to egg yolks whisk quickly to temper yolks so they don't scramble. Return to pan and stir constantly
til mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or tines of a whisk. Add vanilla and amaretto, stir til well blended, then remove from heat.

Step 4

In a small saucepan, melt butter and add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, stirring til sugar begins to bubble. Add salt, ground almonds and peppers and stir til nuts and peppers are well coated. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Step 5

Combine pepper mixture with the cream mixture, add orange food coloring if used, stir well and let chill in the refrigerator. After mixture is cool, pour into an ice
cream freezer and process as per manufacturers instructions. Serve immediately or put in freezer container and freeze 2 to 4 hours til desired firmness.

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This will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer, but probably won't last nearly that long. Mine never does.

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