Almond Blancmange with Caramel Glaze and Sage Sherbet

PreparationMake blancmange: Soak almonds in 3 cups milk, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours. Blend almond mixture in 2 batches in a blender until smooth, about 3 minutes per batch. Rinse kitchen towel under cold water and wring out as much water as possible. Line a large sieve with towel, then set sieve over a bowl or 4-cup glass measure and pour half of almond mixture into towel. Wrap towel up and around mixture and, working over sieve, squeeze almond milk from towel into bowl, discarding ground nuts once all of liquid is extracted. Repeat procedure with remaining almond mixture until you have about 2 1/4 cups almond milk. With a vegetable peeler remove zest from orange and lemon. Bring zests, sugar, and remaining cup milk to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 10 minutes. Sprinkle gelatin over cream in a medium metal bowl and let soften 1 minute. Pour warm zest mixture through a sieve into gelatin mixture, discarding zest, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in almond milk. Divide almond mixture among soup plates (about 1/2 cup each; they will not be full), stirring before ladling so gelatin is evenly distributed. Chill, loosely covered once cold, until set, about 4 hours. Make sherbet: Bring water, sugar, corn syrup, dry milk, and sage leaves to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle gelatin over water in a medium metal bowl and let soften 1 minute. Pour warm sage mixture through a sieve into gelatin mixture, discarding sage leaves, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and let stand, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until cold, about 10 minutes. Freeze sherbet in ice cream maker (it will initially double in volume and then shrink as it freezes), then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden slightly, at least 1 hour. Make caramel: Stir together Amaretto, cream, and 1/3 cup water in a 2-cup measure and set aside. Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then wash down any crystals from side of skillet with a pastry brush dipped in water. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it becomes a deep golden caramel (swirl skillet if necessary to help syrup caramelize evenly), about 5 minutes. Turn heat off and immediately add Amaretto mixture (mixture will bubble up and steam), then cook over moderate heat, stirring, until any solid caramel is dissolved and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle gelatin over remaining water in a medium metal bowl and let soften 1 minute. Add hot caramel mixture and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Put bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and let stand, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until just cool, about 5 minutes. Gently spoon about 3 tablespoons Amaretto caramel glaze evenly over each gelled blancmange, then chill desserts, uncovered, until glaze is set, at least 3 hours. Serve desserts with a scoop of sage sherbet and a wafer. Cooks' notes:• Almonds can be soaked in milk up to 24 hours. • Blancmange without glaze can be chilled in bowls up to 2 days; with glaze up to 1 day. • Sherbet can be made 1 day ahead and kept frozen in airtight container. Let soften slightly before serving.

PreparationMake blancmange: Soak almonds in 3 cups milk, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours. Blend almond mixture in 2 batches in a blender until smooth, about 3 minutes per batch. Rinse kitchen towel under cold water and wring out as much water as possible. Line a large sieve with towel, then set sieve over a bowl or 4-cup glass measure and pour half of almond mixture into towel. Wrap towel up and around mixture and, working over sieve, squeeze almond milk from towel into bowl, discarding ground nuts once all of liquid is extracted. Repeat procedure with remaining almond mixture until you have about 2 1/4 cups almond milk. With a vegetable peeler remove zest from orange and lemon. Bring zests, sugar, and remaining cup milk to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 10 minutes. Sprinkle gelatin over cream in a medium metal bowl and let soften 1 minute. Pour warm zest mixture through a sieve into gelatin mixture, discarding zest, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in almond milk. Divide almond mixture among soup plates (about 1/2 cup each; they will not be full), stirring before ladling so gelatin is evenly distributed. Chill, loosely covered once cold, until set, about 4 hours. Make sherbet: Bring water, sugar, corn syrup, dry milk, and sage leaves to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle gelatin over water in a medium metal bowl and let soften 1 minute. Pour warm sage mixture through a sieve into gelatin mixture, discarding sage leaves, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and let stand, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until cold, about 10 minutes. Freeze sherbet in ice cream maker (it will initially double in volume and then shrink as it freezes), then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden slightly, at least 1 hour. Make caramel: Stir together Amaretto, cream, and 1/3 cup water in a 2-cup measure and set aside. Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then wash down any crystals from side of skillet with a pastry brush dipped in water. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it becomes a deep golden caramel (swirl skillet if necessary to help syrup caramelize evenly), about 5 minutes. Turn heat off and immediately add Amaretto mixture (mixture will bubble up and steam), then cook over moderate heat, stirring, until any solid caramel is dissolved and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle gelatin over remaining water in a medium metal bowl and let soften 1 minute. Add hot caramel mixture and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Put bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and let stand, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until just cool, about 5 minutes. Gently spoon about 3 tablespoons Amaretto caramel glaze evenly over each gelled blancmange, then chill desserts, uncovered, until glaze is set, at least 3 hours. Serve desserts with a scoop of sage sherbet and a wafer. Cooks' notes:• Almonds can be soaked in milk up to 24 hours. • Blancmange without glaze can be chilled in bowls up to 2 days; with glaze up to 1 day. • Sherbet can be made 1 day ahead and kept frozen in airtight container. Let soften slightly before serving.