Armenovil, the ice cream delight of Thessaloniki

The creation of Armenovil is said to be connected with the stay of the French troops in Thessaloniki during the First World War.

Materials for eight servings:

• 600 gr. cream 35% fat
• 400 gr. sweetened milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 20 small meringues
• 150 gr. unsalted almonds with their skin
• 250 gr. granulated sugar
• ½ lemon, the juice
• chocolate syrup for serving

Procedure

Step 1

Heat the almonds in a pan for 2 minutes. Remove them and place them on a plate. Melt a little sugar in the same pan over medium heat, then add a little more, and continue the same process until all the sugar has melted. Add a few drops of lemon and the almonds and mix.

Step 2

Spread the mixture on greaseproof paper and let it cool.

Step 3

Beat the cream at medium to high speed until it resembles yoghurt. Add the sugar and liquid vanilla, mix a little, and transfer the cream to a bowl.

Step 4

Add the broken meringues and the broken caramelised almonds into the cream, and mix from bottom to top with gentle movements with a whisk so as not to lose volume.

Step 5

Transfer the mixture to a long, narrow cake tin lined with cling film, cover with the cling film and freeze for at least 6 hours. Unmould and serve with chocolate syrup.

Recipe by Makis Georgiadis. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.

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