Almond Crunch Ice Cream Cake

Almond Sponge Cake

• 1

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let almonds cool.

• 2

  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place the cooled almonds and the cornstarch in bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

• 3

  Butter two 6-inch-round layer-cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper, and butter again. Flour pans, and set aside.

• 4

  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together egg yolks and vanilla. With mixer on high speed, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until pale, thick, and light, about 5 minutes. Transfer egg-yolk mixture to a large bowl; set aside. Wash and dry mixer bowl and attachment.

• 5

  Place egg whites and salt in the clean mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high, and gradually add the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy, about 4 minutes.

• 6

  Fold the egg-white mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. In three additions, fold the reserved ground-almond mixture into this new mixture. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.

• 7

  Bake cakes until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool, about 25 minutes. Turn out cakes, and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Almond Crunch

• 1

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Have ready a rimmed nonstick baking sheet, or place a Silpat (a French nonstick baking mat) or parchment paper on a baking sheet; set aside.

• 2

  In a medium bowl, toss together almonds, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water. Spread almonds evenly over baking sheet.

• 3

  Bake until golden, about 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Store almond crunch in an airtight container until ready to use.

Almond Crunch Ice Cream Cake

• 1

  Place granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan; set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When sugar has dissolved, remove from heat; add amaretto, if using, and almond extract. Let syrup cool.

• 2

  Using a serrated knife, slice the two cake layers in half horizontally, forming four layers. Crumble one into the bowl of a food processor; process until fine crumbs form. Set aside.

• 3

  Generously brush tops of remaining three cake layers with cooled syrup. Place one cake layer on a 6-inch cardboard cake round.

• 4

  Place ice cream in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until spreadable, about 2 minutes. Spread 2 cups ice cream over first cake layer. Crumble 1/2 cup almond crunch over ice cream. Top with a second cake layer. Transfer cake and ice cream to freezer until firm, about 10 minutes.

• 5

  Remove cake and ice cream from freezer. Spread 2 cups ice cream over top. Crumble 1/2 cup almond crunch over ice cream. Place third cake layer on top. Spread 2 cups ice cream over cake layer. Transfer cake and ice cream to freezer for 30 minutes.

• 6

  Remove cake and ice cream from freezer; stir remaining ice cream with rubber spatula to resoften. Using an icing spatula, quickly spread remaining 2 cups ice cream around sides of cake. Return cake to freezer for 30 minutes.

• 7

  In a chilled bowl, whip cream and confectioners’ sugar with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Remove cake from freezer; frost top and sides of cake with whipped cream. Pat reserved crumbs onto sides of cake, and crumble remaining cup almond crunch over the top. Return cake to freezer; freeze until completely hardened, at least 2 hours or overnight.