Caramel almond butter stracciatella is my newest ice cream flavor, and I’m excited to show you how to make it.
Don’t miss the roundup of all my ice cream recipes.
When I was a kid there was no Ben & Jerry’s. Nobody made cookie dough ice cream or Caramel Sutra or Phish Food or Chunky Monkey. We had Baskin-Robbins and whatever flavors we favored there—Pralines and Cream when we wanted something caramelly and nutty, or mint chocolate chip when we wanted something bright. My childhood specialty was a strange pairing: a double scoop in a cake cone—one scoop of very dark chocolate fudge and another of Daiquiri Ice.
Weird, right?
I have no idea why I thought that combination worked. Maybe I just liked contrast: bittersweet chocolate against a lime-and-rum sorbet. It doesn’t really work, but as a kid I thought it was sophisticated.
There was one flavor at the shop that sounded particularly grown-up and exotic: Jamocha Almond Fudge. Almonds, chocolate, and coffee—all together. I never ordered it because it had nuts (I didn’t like nuts then), I thought coffee was too bitter, and honestly, it intimidated me. Three names! It felt too fancy.
I remember the first time my parents took us to Hardee’s. We filed between metal rails like we were waiting for a ride. The menu was printed in white plastic letters, and I stared at it, unable to decide. I didn’t have a usual order to recite; I kept changing my mind. When it was my turn to order I froze, sweaty and tongue-tied like Ralphie answering Santa. I eventually muttered, “Just… just a plain cheeseburger?” as if “Cheeseburger” on the menu were somehow too bold to ask for outright.
They gave me exactly that: a plain cheeseburger, and I stood aside while my family looked on. I felt embarrassed for ordering apologetically—naked burger and all.
I tell this to illustrate how indecisive I was (and sometimes still am) about food. I want everything, and I’ll dither until someone else suggests a football and pushes me down the slide.
Caramel Almond Butter Stracciatella
This chocolate almond butter stracciatella is my homage to the flavors I always admired but never tried as a kid. There’s no coffee in this version, though a little espresso powder stirred into the base would be a fine addition if you want that Jamocha vibe. You can also skip the caramelizing step and use granulated sugar directly, but caramelizing concentrates flavor and reduces sweetness, so you might want to adjust the sugar if you take the shortcut.
Caramel Almond Butter Stracciatella
Jennifer Field
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Base
- 9.5 oz granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 12 oz half and half
- 20 oz half and half
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 egg yolks
- 5.5 oz almond butter (generous half cup)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
For the Stracciatella
- 1.5 oz dark chocolate chips
- 0.15 oz coconut oil or other neutral vegetable oil
For the Mix-In
- ½ cup chopped almond toffee or candied almonds or whole , chocolate-covered almonds (optional)
Instructions
To Make the Base
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In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir the sugar and water until the sugar is moistened. You may need a bit more than 1/4 cup—the exact amount of water isn’t critical; just wet the sugar.
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Bring the sugar to a boil over medium heat.
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Cover and let it boil for 2 minutes to wash any sugar crystals down the sides of the pan.
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Remove the lid and cook undisturbed until the sugar turns a pale honey color. Gently swirl the pan to promote even color and continue cooking until it becomes a deep amber. The caramel may smoke slightly and bubble; when it does, carefully add the 12 oz half and half.
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The caramel will bubble vigorously—stay calm. Once it subsides, whisk the caramel off the heat. Some hardened caramel may form; set the pan aside.
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In another saucepan, whisk together the 20 oz half and half, salt, cornstarch, and egg yolks over medium heat until hot. Pour this into the caramel pan, return to medium heat, and whisk until the mixture boils and the hardened caramel melts back in. Allow it to boil while whisking constantly for about 15 seconds.
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Pour into a metal bowl and whisk in the almond butter and vanilla. Taste and adjust seasoning—add a touch more salt or sugar if needed.
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Optional: strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any larger almond bits or skins for a smoother texture.
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Chill in an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until it reaches room temperature. Press plastic wrap directly onto the custard surface and refrigerate until cold (no warmer than 40°F).
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Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.
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When the ice cream reaches soft-serve stage, drizzle most of the melted chocolate in a thin stream to create stracciatella ribbons (see below for chocolate melting instructions).
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Fold in the mix-ins by hand to distribute evenly.
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Pack into a container, press a few mix-ins on top, and drizzle the remaining chocolate in a decorative pattern if you like. The chocolate will harden quickly—press plastic wrap onto the surface and freeze until firm. Let the ice cream temper for about 5 minutes before scooping.
For the Stracciatella
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Place chocolate chips and coconut oil (or a neutral oil) in a small bowl and melt gently—microwave in short bursts on low power, stirring between bursts, until melted and just warm.
I like to think that now, making my own ice cream, I’d be more decisive. Often I’m not—I still dither over which mix-ins, swirls, and whether a recipe should be ice cream or gelato.
Feel free to share your favorite flavor combinations or dream flavors. I’d love your suggestions so I don’t have to decide everything myself.
This ice cream is rich and luxurious—egg yolks and cornstarch make it silkier, while almond butter and dark chocolate provide depth. You don’t need a lot to be satisfied, but you will enjoy every bite.
Thanks for reading. Have a lovely day.