This is an amazingly easy dessert that features all the flavors of the ingredients.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup honey

Directions

1. Let the vanilla ice cream stand at room temperature to soften so that you can just begin to stir it.
2. Mix the ricotta cheese and honey into the ice cream. (You can use a food processor to first mix together the ricotta and honey.) Mix together until smooth.
3. Place the ice cream-ricotta mixture into a shallow, stainless-steel pan and spread it into a smooth layer. Cover with plastic wrap.
4. Place the pan with the ice cream-ricotta mixture into the freezer and allow it to freeze for at least 1 hour.
5. Place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer.
6. Toast the almonds for 5-10 minutes in the oven at 350F.
7. When you are ready to serve the dessert scoop out the ice cream-ricotta and top with the toasted almonds.

Note: Because this is a very simple dessert use a quality vanilla ice cream. You can vary the dessert by adding a teaspoon of orange liquor or orange extract. Add a little pop of color by topping the ice cream with a sprig of mint.

Ice Cream History In Europe the first frozen dessert is said to have been eaten by the Roman Emperor Nero. It was a mixture of snow and nectar, fruit pulp and honey. It is also believed that Marco Polo, in the 13th century, brought back to Italy from China recipes for water ices that had been enjoyed for thousands of years. It's less about who was first, but that cultures across the world have enjoyed iced desserts.