There’s no shortage of great ice cream shops in Paris. Many of them, however, close for summer vacation in August. What's an ice cream lover to do during the dog days? Make your own, of course!

This recipe pairs a sweet-tart apricot swirl with a rich bitter-almond custard, made tangy with the addition of crème fraîche. Bitter almonds are a close relative of apricots, so their flavors work marvelously well together. They can be found in well-stocked Asian markets, but if you have trouble sourcing them, the apricot pits themselves make a fine substitute.

Cooking the custard requires a bit of vigilance. Be sure to use a gentle, even heat, and remove the custard from the stove as soon as it's...