Prune Sherry Ice Cream with Burnt Sugar Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup almonds toasted sliced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 0.3 cup sherry dry
• 3 large egg yolk 
• 1.5 cups cup heavy whipping cream 
• 2 cups milk 
• 1 cup prune- cut to pieces pitted
• 1.7 cups sugar 
• 1 large eggs whole

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• whisk
• sieve
• plastic wrap
• loaf pan

Directions

1. In a saucepan combine the prunes and 1 cup water, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the prunes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are very soft.
2. Add the Sherry, simmer the mixture for 1 minute, and let it cool. In a food processor purée the mixture coarse.
3. In a bowl whisk together 2/3 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, the whole egg, and the yolks and add the milk, scalded, in a stream, whisking. In a heavy saucepan bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, and boil it, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and add the prune mixture and the cream. Stir the custard mixture until it is cold and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Line a metal loaf pan, 9 by 5 by 3 inches, with plastic wrap, spoon the ice cream into it, and freeze the ice cream, the top smoothed and the surface covered with plastic wrap, for at least 8 hours or overnight. The ice cream may be made 1 week in advance.
4. In a dry large deep heavy skillet cook the remaining 1 cup sugar over moderately low heat, undisturbed, until it is melted, increase the heat to moderate, and cook the sugar, swirling the skillet occasionally, until it turns a deep caramel.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat, pour 1 cup hot water carefully into the side of the skillet, and boil the burnt sugar sauce, stirring, until it is syrupy and reduced to about 3/4 cup. The sauce may be made 1 week in advance and kept covered and chilled. Unmold the ice cream and serve it, sliced, with the sauce, warm or at room temperature, and sprinkled with the almonds.