Blondie Sundaes with Fried Walnuts and Candied Fennel

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large fennel bulb, fronds reserved, bulb cored, thinly sliced
• Zest from 1 lemon, removed in wide strips
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• Vegetable oil (for frying; about 4 cups)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 pints vanilla gelato or ice cream
• 1 pint ground cherries or cape gooseberries, husks removed, rinsed, halved (optional)
• Buckwheat-Brown Butter Blondies, broken into large pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5–8 minutes. Let cool slightly; place in a heatproof jar or airtight container.
2. Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly; then pour over walnuts. Seal jar and let sit at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.
3. Pour walnuts into a fine-mesh sieve set over a clean medium saucepan and let syrup drain into saucepan, tossing walnuts to shake off excess. Transfer walnuts to a medium bowl. Reserve sieve.
4. Add sliced fennel and lemon zest to syrup; scrape in vanilla seeds and add pod. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is translucent and tender, 20–25 minutes. Discard pod; let fennel cool in syrup.
5. Fit another medium saucepan with thermometer; pour in oil to come 2" up sides of pan. Heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Add powdered sugar to walnuts and toss to coat. Place in reserved sieve and shake off excess sugar. Carefully add walnuts to oil and cook, turning with a spider or slotted spoon to prevent sticking, until brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; let cool. Break up any clumps.
6. Scoop gelato into bowls. Top with ground cherries, blondie pieces, walnuts, candied fennel, and fennel fronds.
7. Do Ahead: Walnuts can be fried 2 days ahead. Let cool; store airtight at room temperature. Fennel can be candied 2 days ahead. Let cool in syrup; transfer to an airtight container and chill.

Notes