Turrón Ice Cream

Name: Turrón Ice Cream
Yield: makes 1 1/4 quarts (1 1/4 liters)
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) half-and-half; 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar; 1/4 cup (60 ml) good-flavored honey; Pinch of salt; 1 orange, preferably unsprayed; 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream; 5 large egg yolks; 1 teaspoon orange-flower water; 2 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel (see Note); 2/3 cup (75 g) almonds, toasted (page 13) and very coarsely chopped; 1/4 cup (30 g) shelled unsalted pistachio nuts, very coarsely chopped

December 9, 2011

While navigating my way through the Barcelona train station, I was suddenly surrounded by a squadron of Spanish police, guns drawn, barking orders at me in Spanish. Aimed and ready, they gestured to me to open up the suspiciously overstuffed valise I was dragging. I carefully unzipped my bulky suitcase, revealing rows and rows of peculiar brown paper-wrapped bundles, all packed neatly in rows. An officer demanded that I unwrap one of the packages. I slowly tore the paper off the first one and held it high for all to see. The policemen let down their guns and had a good laugh. My crime? Smuggling home blocks of crispy Spanish turrón. This ice cream duplicates the taste of turrón with crispy almonds, honey, and a touch of candied orange, and it can be made, without raising any suspicions, in your ice cream maker at home.

Cooks' Note

To order candied orange peel, see Resources (page 237). You can also make Candied Citrus Peel (page 178) using orange zest.

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