Homemade Jamocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream

Everyone has a favorite flavor when it comes to ice cream shops. Sometimes it is something simple, like a simple vanilla or cookies n’ cream, and sometimes it is something that you can’t really find anywhere else. Baskin-Robbins’s Jamocha Almond Fudge is one of those flavors that you just don’t find anywhere else. The flavor has been on their menu since 1959 and has been the favorite flavor of many people since that time. BR isn’t exactly the small, artisan ice cream shop down the street, however, so the way to get a high quality batch of this particular ice cream flavor is to make it yourself.

My Coffee Almond Fudge Ice Cream has the same combination of flavors as BR’s Jamocha Almond Fudge. It starts with a coffee ice cream base that is studded with roasted almonds swirled with a chocolate fudge ribbon. I like to use slivered almonds in this ice cream because you still get a good crunch and almond flvor from them, but the almonds are thin enough that they don’t get rock hard when the ice cream is frozen. The coffee ice cream is rich and smooth, with a cafe latte flavor, and the roasted almonds and fudge are great ways to dress it up.

I use instant coffee (Starbucks Via is my preference) in this ice cream because it is a quick and easy way to control the amount of coffee flavor in the recipe. You can replace the instant coffee with about 3/4 cup of crushed, roasted coffee beans and steep them in the hot milk/cream for about 5 minutes, if you prefer to take that route, too. The ice cream is made as plain coffee ice cream and churned until soft. Once it is made, the almonds and fudge sauce are swirled into the base while it is still soft to distribute them, then the ice cream is frozen until firm to set the swirl before serving.

Coffee Almond Fudge Ice Cream
2/3 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp instant coffee/espresso powder*
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup fudge sauce, homemade or store bought

Place almonds in a skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 4-6 minutes, until almonds are just starting to toast and are golden brown. Remove from heat when they are a light gold and transfer to a paper towel or plate to cool.
Combine milk, cream and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring regularly to make sure that all of the sugar has been dissolved. Stir in instant coffee (Via) until it has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Cover mixture and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
Freeze ice cream in an ice cream maker as directed by the manufacturer.
Transfer soft ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Sprinkle almonds evenly over ice cream and stir to distribute. Drizzle fudge sauce over coffee ice cream and stir gently with a knife to swirl throughout ice cream. Do not overmix.
Freeze for at least 3 hours, or until firm, before serving.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

*Note: You can replace the instant coffee with about 3/4 cup of crushed, roasted coffee beans and steep them in the hot milk/cream for about 5 minutes, but instant c
offee is quicker and an easier way to control the amount of coffee flavor in this recipe.