Love and Olive Oil

Marzipan Swirl Ice Cream

Marzipan Swirl Ice Cream

This recipe is one I’ve been thinking about for quite some time.

I’m something of a marzipan freak. I’d eat it three meals a day if I could. Something about the flavor, the sweet scent of bitter almond, it’s intoxicating.

Marzipan Swirl Ice Cream

There really aren’t enough almond ice creams in the world. And by almond I’m not talking about bits of nuts in a bland base. I’m talking about the essence of almond, about intensely marzipan flavored ice cream. There was a Ben & Jerry’s flavor floating around at one point called Mission to Marzipan. I had it once, and have never seen it again. I fear it has gone the way of Cannoli and Egg Nog (yes, B&J’s has a flavor graveyard of their ‘dearly departed’ flavors).

Needless to say I’m not going to wait around for the flavor to be resurrected.

Nope. I’m going to satisfy my marzipan madness on my own terms.

This ice cream is surprisingly simple: a rich, almond-flavored custard base, swirled with a soft ribbon of marzipan (or almond paste, to be precise). It may not look extraordinary, but believe me, it is.

The only thing that could possibly make this better would be a textural crunch of candied almond praline; but we’ll save that for another day.

Marzipan Swirl Ice Cream

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Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch salt
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon almond extract

6 ounces almond paste, broken into chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Pour 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.

Warm the milk, sugar, remaining 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to steam.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly spoon 1/3 of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, a small scoop at a time, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm milk, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan and whisk to incorporate with the rest of the milk mixture.

Stir over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the spatula, about 5-7 minutes, or until mixture measures 170ºF. Pour the custard through the strainer, discarding any solids. Stir in almond extract. When mixture is cool, cover and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least 3-4 hours, overnight is better).

To prepare marzipan swirl, combine almond paste and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring until paste has melted and combined with the cream in a smooth mixture. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Freeze chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it is the consistency of soft serve. Quickly transfer to a freezer-safe container, alternating dollops of ice cream with generous drizzles of almond paste mixture (by layering the two you’ll acheive a nice swirled effect without accidentally stirring one completely into the other). Cover with a layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper touching the surface of the ice cream. Freeze until completely firm.

All images and text © / Love & Olive Oil

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39 Comments

  1. Hi! How much does this recipe make? a pint? Thanks!

  2. I am NO cook, can`t cook, won`t cook, but when it comes to Marzipan ice cream, I have just bought the ingredients and the pans are out ! I have three people waiting with their tubs and spoons at the ready. The only place that I have bought Marzipan ice cream from an ice cream parlous was in Verona – no wonder Romeo and Juliet looked so happy !…

  3. I made this according to the recipe. OMG, it is so good, I may never eat commercial ice cream again.

    You don’t need a lot to be satisfie.

  4. Hi, thanks for a great marzipan ice cream recipe! I’ve been craving one like crazy.
    I made the recipe and reviewed it on my blog for any future readers looking for impressions:
    https://bulachki.com/recipe/marzipan-ice-cream/

  5. I came across your blog while reminiscing and day-dreaming about “Mission to Marzipan!”  I can’t wait to to try this!  Adding some amaretti cookies would give it a bit of crunch and make it a little closer to the B&J flavor, too.  Yum  – and THANKS!

  6. I miss Ben and Jerry’s Mission to Marzipan, so I was excited to come across this recipe. I made it today and am currently enjoying some. It is absolutely fantastic! I added some crushed ginger snaps when I layered in the marzipan. The ice cream set beautifully and the almond flavor is to die for. Great recipe, definitely a keeper!

  7. I can’t believe that you invented this. It’s like you read my unconscious. If you add a
    caramel swirl, I think it’s all over for me

  8. I love marzipan! Love seeing it on a food blog! Yum!

  9. Soooooooooo love marzipan and anything emitting an almond aura!! lol
    I’m tempted to by an ice cream maker just to try this!

  10. ok, the only reason I felt compelled to comment was just to jump in and say that my absolutely favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavor was Brownie Batter, and I’ll never forgive them for sending it to the graveyard.

    That’s all :)

    Oh, and your ice cream *does* look fantastic!

  11. I don’t think I’m a giant fan of marzipan on its own but I have a feeling the coolness of the ice cream mellows it out and provides a perfect creamy almond-y treat :) Yum!

  12. My local Grocery Outlet has Mission to Marzipan. Haven’t had a chance to snatch it up yet myself.

  13. Oh no, so much for the impulse control. I have to make this it sounds scrummy.

  14. this looks delicious. i just love marzipan – i wish i’d tried this b&j flavor while it was out. my favorite flavor was called from russia with buzz, coffee ice cream with espresso and fudge chips. yum.

  15. That looks and sounds spectacular. I am such a nut for chocolate and almond that I would drizzle some homemade hot fudge sauce over it.

  16. Would be lovely with a drizzle of Arbequina extra virgin olive oil atop, too! Thanks for the recipe!

  17. Marzipan is without a doubt my “desert island” food… It’s my absolute favorite! I cannot WAIT to try this recipe! It reminds me of Mission to Marzipan!

  18. Mmmm… sounds (and looks!) fabulous.

  19. I love almond and marzipan! I loved B&J’s Mission to Marzipan. I had it a year ago and haven’t seen it since. I can’t wait to try this recipe!!

  20. Just came across your blog, gorgeous photography, so crisp :D

    Great work!

  21. Great recipe and photos! Seems like you gathered some marzipan fans here – I’m one too, just love this special flavor – really intoxicating, as you described. By almond paste do you mean marzipan (around 50% almond content, rest is sugar) or 100% almonds?

  22. Marzipan ice cream!!! Love it! I tried the B&J’s Mission to Marzipan and it was good but not nearly enough Marzipan flavor! Can’t wait to try this!

  23. Yes to marzipan, but anybody have a corn-free recipe to make marzipan?

    • Commercial almond paste is corn free as far as I’m aware (the ingredients listed on my can are Blanched Almonds, Sugar, Water, Natural Flavor and Potassium Sorbate).

  24. This has to be the best ice-cream idea ever! When I was a teenager, I used to work in this candy shop, and I would nibble on Marzipan, I would LOVE THIS!

  25. I will have to make it this!!! Marzipan, my favorite. Thanks for this delicious ice cream recipe.

  26. Uh, yes please. Could I just smear this on my face and call it day? Because I just might.

  27. I would like to marry you! (Okay, so maybe just move in!)

  28. I completely agree about marzipan. When I studied abroad in Spain I would eat it almost daily. They had such an amazing assortment of different, cute little marzipan desserts in almost every bakery. Anything with almond paste is just amazing.

  29. Mmhm, this looks delicious! Love the photos!

  30. Yum! I love marzipan! And I’ve been mulling around in my mind what kind of ice cream I should make next…this one may be it.

  31. you can use the B&J website flavor page to locate stores that sell specific flavors, http://www.benjerry.com/flavors/our-flavors/ , I think the mission to marzipan is still available.

  32. This sounds heavenly! I recently made amaretti cookies to quench that craving for rich creamy pure un-adulterated almond love.
    man, i could really go for a waffle cone full of this right about now!

  33. I ofter feel guilty because of the degree I love Marizipan…People look at me weird! :)

  34. Sounds wonderful. I love marzipan, too. Almond is one of my faves. Will definitely give this a try! :)

  35. This looks awesomeee!

  36. Oh I love Marzipan so much. You are my new hero for making a marzipan ice cream. And you’d be my superhero if I had a pint of it in my freezer when I got home. Haha!

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