Ice cream sandwiches made with almond cookies and olive oil ice cream will be among the goodies available at this Sunday’s Almond Festival in Capay Valley. The sweet treat features Séka Hills olive oil produced by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation in Brooks. Here, tribal executive chef Casey Willard shares his recipe for the treat.
Olive Oil Ice Cream
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup Séka Hills Arbequina olive oil
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring half-and-half and vanilla to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top.
Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, vigorously whisk together yolks, sugar and salt for around 30 seconds until the yolks are creamy and thick.
Once the cream reaches a gentle simmer, slowly pour or ladle it into the yolk mixture while whisking. Turn the heat to low and return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping everything from the bowl with a spatula.
Using a spatula or wood spoon, stir the mixture for several minutes in a figure 8 motion until the liquid has thickened slightly, approximately 5 minutes. If you use a thermometer, the temperature should read 165 degrees F.
Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. (It might look separated at first, but it will combine with the other ingredients.) Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly against the liquid to prevent a skin from forming.
Chill for around 4 hours, then prepare in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions.
Italian Almond Cookies
- 16 ounces almond paste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
Place almond paste, flour, egg whites, white sugar and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix the ingredients until well blended. The mixture will be very sticky.
Place sliced almonds in a small bowl. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of the dough and drop them into the almonds. Roll until completely coated. Place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble the ice cream sandwiches, take a completely cooled cookie and place a scoop of ice cream (about ¼ cup) on the flat side of the cookie. Top with the flat side of the second cookie to make a sandwich. Freeze until ready to serve.
For information about the Almond Festival, go to www.sekahills.com/visit/calendar-of-events/.
