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Vanilla Cardamom Ice Cream – A Taste Of Spring


Why "A Taste of Spring"? Well, because here in South Carolina, this is just about what we have been given….a few days of clement and mellow temperature, a smidget of wind and soft blue clouds. I love spring and since I moved to SC I have been deprived of it. Scorching hot summers and mellow winters, but no spring, and don’t get me started on fall!

I knew I only had a few days to celebrate Spring and since this is a perfect "entre deux" (in between) season, I aimed to combine my 2 favorites from winter and summer.
Cardamom screams winter to me and I go through huge supplies every year: in brioches, sweet rolls, hot teas, mulled spices, moroccan dishes, creams, custards,….
As far as summer goes it should be spelled "ice cream". I tend to agree that there is no season for it but a little scoop (make mine a big bowl) of ice cream on a sultry summer day is extremely refreshing.

For this dessert, you have an ice cream maker go ahead and use it but I did not have enough room in the freezer so I froze the custard base and took it out every couple of hours or so and give it a whirl with an hand held immersion blender and everything came out perfect.

Vanilla Cardamom Ice Cream, inspired by this recipe.

4 egg yolks
2 cups half and half
4 oz sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 cardamom pods, broken in half

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, add the vanilla.
In a saucepan, on medium heat, bring the half and half and cardamom pods to boiling point but do not let it boil.
Slowly pour the hot cream onto the egg yolks mixture and stir to combine (tempering). Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the back of spoon. At this point you have made a custard sauce, also known as "creme anglaise".
Let cool completely, strain the cardamom pods and refrigerate until cold. Process the custard according to your ice cream maker manufacturer’s instructions or use the hand held immersion blender described earlier.

I wish I had made 2 gallons of this…so good…so sophisticated.
I believe I have to make more if I want to have at least a couple of scoops to take to Meeta's Monthly Mingle, appropriately celebrating spring. Participate as well, so I can live Spring vicariously through you!

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Comments


Fabienne May 5, 2007 um 7:22 pm

J’adore la cardamone, aussi je vais la tester d’urgence !


Anonymous May 5, 2007 um 7:25 pm

i love vanilla ice cream, with cardamom it must b so yimmy!
leonine194.canalblog.com


Anonymous May 5, 2007 um 10:57 pm

Yum. I love cardamom – it’s one of my favorites.


MyKitchenInHalfCups May 6, 2007 um 1:24 am

Cardamom and vanilla … that would be sweet ice cream!


Mercedes May 6, 2007 um 2:20 am

We must be on the same wavelength because I just made honey-cardamom ice cream and it was delicious- yours sounds great!


Anonymous May 6, 2007 um 2:53 am

SUBLIME! GREAT WONDERFULL!


Peabody May 6, 2007 um 3:51 am

It must be ice cream season…I made some today too.
Your flavor combo sounds wonderful.


Helene May 6, 2007 um 6:14 am

Fabienne: essaye vite…ca me remonte toujours le moral.

Leonine: merci!

Rob: I remember now who put this idea in my head!

Claudia: I have recently started brewing my coffe with a couple of pods in it. Delish!

Tanna: it is good, we are on batch 3…

Mercedes: too funni. Honey must be great in it!

Miss Lola: thank you

Peabody: great minds think alike! Can’t wait to see what you made.


Unknown May 6, 2007 um 6:30 am

Arh…this looks so good and very cooling for the crazy hot weather over here 🙂


Meeta K. Wolff May 6, 2007 um 10:55 am

Yummy – Cardamom and vanilla all in an ice-cream this is too gorgeous!


ぽんた May 6, 2007 um 11:13 am

I’ve never heard cardamom ice cream, sounds great!
Cardamom is used for curry in Japan.


Aimée May 6, 2007 um 11:31 am

Three cheers for cardamom! I recently whipped up a cardamom and clemetine sorbet on my blog, which was a perfect welcome to spring. Your ice cream looks divine, too bad we can taste it!


Lis May 6, 2007 um 1:58 pm

Yours is the first ice-cream I’ve ever seen not made in a machine.. it gives me hope that maybe I can make ice-cream myself as I don’t have a machine (yet).

It looks so creamy good! I love the lil cone – it’s one of my favorite ways to eat ice-cream, I like to take a sugar cone and break it up then mix it in the ice-cream. *swoon*

Way to go! xoxoxox


Stella May 6, 2007 um 3:20 pm

Helene, it’s always hot in my country & I so wish I could have a huge scoop of your ice cream at any time of the day as well as the previous mango dessert!:)
I agree that it does look sophisticated… my goodness!


Brilynn May 6, 2007 um 3:48 pm

I just love ice cream, it doesn’t matter what flavour, I love it.


Thistlemoon May 6, 2007 um 4:08 pm

I absolutely adore cardamom! that sounds just delightful! 🙂


Kelly-Jane May 6, 2007 um 6:29 pm

Cardamon vanilla sounds so gorgeous! I made some vanilla ice cream today. I recently read a recipe for cardamon oragne ice cream and thought it sounded good too.


Anonymous May 6, 2007 um 8:17 pm

MMMMMmmmmmm…miam, miam. I’ll have to dig out my cardamom pods from the back of my cupboard. Great recipe.


Anonymous May 7, 2007 um 12:23 am

I’ve never had cardamom before as a flavouring…and though I do not have an ice cream maker, I think I would like to try this flavour pairing! Thanks for the idea 😀

P.S. I tried the macaron recipe that you emailed me oh so long ago…a beautiful success! 🙂 My family and I thank you!


Mallow May 7, 2007 um 1:38 am

Yum, cardamom! I will be making this as soon as Seattle warms up!


jasmine May 7, 2007 um 1:40 am

This sounds absolutely wonderful!

j


Kajal@aapplemint May 7, 2007 um 2:05 am

as a kid i always thought cardamom is an Indian herb/spice and is used only in India… it was later that i learnt that it is used by the world over and enjoyed by all.I envy u as u are constantly making these lovely desserts.I’d love to buy an ice cream maker but unfortunately houses here are too small to accommodate these fancy kitchen accessories.I guess I’ll just look at your beautiful post and be happy.


Silvana May 7, 2007 um 12:52 pm

That looks, so yummy! I’m making it my recipe link of the week!


Freya May 7, 2007 um 2:13 pm

I love cardomom and I really want to try in ice cream form!


Anonymous May 7, 2007 um 4:04 pm

Hi Helen – oh my, vanilla and cardamom sound like a fantastic combination! Great spring flavours! It must be ice-cream season all over because I churned out a batch of chocolate for K just yesterday!


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