Nordic Cardamom Ice Cream!

Cardamom Ice Cream is a delightful topping for Scandinavian fruited desserts, particularly apple desserts like Skånsk Äppelkaka or dried fruit soup ("sweet" soup), served either warm in winter or cold in the summer months. Found while reading an article on Nordic desserts! I LOVE cardamom! Cook time is prep time & freeze time is cook time. You'll see what I mean. :) Enjoy!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 45 mins
• Yields: 1 pint

Ingredients

• 8  egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  cups milk
• 2  cups  whipping cream
• 1  vanilla bean
• 1  tablespoon cardamom, freshly ground

Directions

1. Allow egg yolks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then whisk together with sugar until the mixture is lemon-yellow and creamy.
2. Whisk together the milk and the cream in a large saucepan. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the vanilla seeds into the liquid, then toss the vanilla bean halves in as well. Stir in the tablespoon of freshly ground cardamom.
3. Bring the milk to a low simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture reaches the scalding point, remove from the burner.
4. Slowly and gradually stir the warm milk into the egg yolks in a very light stream, whisking strongly to prevent the yolks from curdling. After all of the milk has been incorporated, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or colander back into the saucepan.
5. Set the burner to medium heat and cook the custard until it reaches a simmer and starts to thicken, about 8 minutes, stirring vigorously the entire time. When it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
6. Finish the ice cream by placing the chilled cardamom mixture in an ice cream maker and freezing in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
7. Alternatively, you can complete the ice cream in your freezer: just place it in the freezer for 20 minutes, remove and whisk strongly, return it back to the freezer for another 20 minutes, then repeat this process until the mixture has frozen into the proper consistency.