Flavorful Summer Treat: Raisin and Sweet Sherry Ice Cream Recipe

When you think of summer, what comes to mind? For me, it’s spending time with my family at one of our favorite local beach spots, drinking in a beautiful sunset thanks to extended daylight and, of course, savoring the light, cool and refreshing tastes of the season. Nothing epitomizes the pleasures of summer more than ice cream, and this raisin and sweet sherry ice cream recipe is the perfect indulgence – and an ode to Mediterranean flavors. With raisins, sweet sherry and Marcona almonds from Spain, and the fragrance and hint of spice from cloves, this sophisticated treat is the perfect balance of sweet, rich and savory all in one.

RAISIN AND SWEET SHERRY ICE CREAM
MAKES 1 QUART

INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup raisins
¾ cup Spanish sweet sherry, preferably Valdespino El Candado Pedro Ximénez
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 whole cloves
¾ cup sugar
6 egg yolks
¼ cup thinly sliced Marcona almonds

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, soak the raisins in ¼ cup of the sherry for 1 hour. Drain the raisins well and reserve.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the remaining ½ cup of sherry until it reduces by half to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream and milk, stirring occasionally, to just below boiling, about 200°F. Add the vanilla and cloves. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Discard the cloves.
4. Over medium heat, warm the infused mixture to 140°F.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks vigorously until pale and fluffy. Whisking continuously, slowly add some of the warm cream mixture to temper the eggs.
6. Return all to the saucepan and warm gently, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 6 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved raisins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
8. Pour into an ice cream maker and prepare according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve drizzled with the reduced sherry and topped with the almonds.

About Executive Chef & Director of Culinary Enrichment Kathryn Kelly
Since joining Oceania Cruises in 2011, Chef Kathryn Kelly’s passion for adult learning has been the driving force behind The Culinary Center. While overseeing a faculty of dedicated Chef Instructors, she is the chief architect of more than 100 unique culinary classes as well as our popular Culinary Discovery Tours™, which are immersive chef-led excursions offered in more than 40 destinations worldwide. Chef Kelly completed her doctoral studies in epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and holds two master’s degrees in community medicine and biostatistics. After a fulfilling career in health care, she pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a chef, graduating with honors from The Culinary Institute of America in the fifth decade of her life. Chef Kelly resides on Amelia Island, Florida, and in Austin, Texas. She is an avid golfer and the proud grandmother of Kate, Luke and Jack – who spend cherished hours with their ”YaYa” grilling, cooking and baking for their grateful family.