Amaretto Ice Cream with Stewed Balsamic Blueberries and Almond Bread

Did I mention earlier that making home made ice cream can become something of a compulsive habit? In case anyone doubts the truth of that statement, here I am again with another post on ice cream. The stuff is so moreish, so highly addictive, that I am of the firm opinion that domestic ice cream machines should come with a health warning.

This ice cream was the very first one I made, and I have come back to it many times. It is slightly modified from the original recipe by Valli Little, the lovely Australian chef. It is slightly unusual in that it doesn’t call for a cooked custard – instead, egg yolks are whipped with sugar over a saucepan of simmering water until just cooked, pale, thick and aerated, cream is whipped with amaretto separately and the two mixtures are gently, tenderly folded together before being chilled and churned. It makes the most velvety smooth ice cream imaginable and I keep meaning to use this base as a blueprint for other flavours. But this one is so good, I never end up straying but come back faithfully to it, time and time again instead of experimenting!

My small addition to Valli Little’s recipe is to fold in lightly toasted slivered almonds towards the end of the churning process, which transforms this ice cream into a real show-stopper of a dessert, especially when served with stewed balsamic blueberries and crisp slices of almond bread. The sweet, slightly tart flavour of the blueberries, not to mention their vibrant, deep violet hue, combine beautifully with this luscious ice cream – it really is a perfect pairing. I make a simple almond bread to accompany the ice cream and fruit. The thin slices of dry, crispy biscotti, studded with whole almonds, are not too sweet and provide a wonderful accompaniment to this dreamy dessert. Elegant and sophisticated, velvety light with the textural interest brought by the toasted almond slivers and the almond bread, this is high up on my list of all time favourite desserts.