Almond Ice Cream Cake

When ready to serve, allow cakes to soften in the refrigerator for thirty minutes; run a sharp knife under hot water for a few seconds, dry the knife, and cut the cake. Repeat, rinsing knife between cuts.

Syrup:
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp. amaretto, (optional)
½ tsp. pure almond extract

1 recipe Almond Sponge Cake
4 pints vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
1 recipe Almond Crunch
¾ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar

Place 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.

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.

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

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 ½ cup almond crunch over ice cream.  Top with a second cake layer.

Transfer cake and ice cream to freezer until firm, about 10 minutes.

Remove cake and ice cream from freezer. Spread 2 cups ice cream over top. Crumble ½ 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.

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.

In a chilled bowl, whip cream and confectioner’s 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.

Makes 10 servings.