Prune Sherry Ice Cream with Burnt Sugar Sauce

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.

Add the Sherry, simmer the mixture for 1 minute, and let it cool. In a food processor purée the mixture coarse.

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.

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.

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.