Instructions:

Cardamom Ice Cream

This Cardamom Ice Cream recipe I made is a modified version of the vanilla recipe I got from Kay. I think she got it from Bon Appetit. It's dynamite with anything apple. It goes well next to the coffee ice cream too, if you ask me. Take a bite of the coffee, a bite of the cardamom, a bite of the coffee.... Huh? What! Where am I? Oh yeah. The recipe.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
6 large egg yolks
5 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup whipping cream
5 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, split down the center
1 rounded teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

In small heavy-bottomed saucepan slowly bring half-and-half to boil. Place in refrigerator overnight, or chill in freezer briefly but do not freeze.

Cream egg yolks and 5 1/2 tablespoons sugar; set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan combine whipping cream, remaining sugar and vanilla bean and slowly bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove bean; using point of paring knife, scrape vanilla grains from inside hull. With fingers, rub off any cream or remaining vanilla grains and mix into cream. Return the cleaned vanilla pods to the cream. Add the cardamom.

Add about 1/3 of the cream mixture to yolks, whisking constantly. Pour this mixture into saucepan, whisking constantly, and bring to just under boiling point. Remove from heat. Immediately place pan in cold water or over ice to stop cooking. Stir frequently until cool.

Beat in chilled half-and-half and vanilla extract. Put the completed custard in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to freeze the custard, strain out the vanilla pods. If you feel like kicking up the cardamom flavor you may add a bit more ground cardamom. Place in ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions.