Toast the almonds in a small fry pan until they become fragrant and turn a little brown. Remove from pan and reserve. Don't let them burn or you'll have to throw them out and start over. Nobody wants the taste of burnt almonds in their soup. In a large heated soup pot, add the butter and when it gets hot, add the onion and cook for a few minutes.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for a minute or two. Add the broccoli and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 12 minutes or until the broccoli becomes fork tender.
Add the reserved almonds to the soup but reserve a few for garnishing at the end. Puree the soup with a hand blender, regular blender or food processor.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If the soup is really hot, it will affect your ability to taste so you may have to let it cool down a little before adjusting the seasoning.
If you are looking for even more richness (and calories) stir in the sour cream. You may even want to leave out the sour cream and serve it at the table so your guests can add it themselves if so inclined.