It’s ice cream season kids, let’s have fun with our flavors and change up the norm with the subtle and delicious Cardamom Fig Ice Cream.
The official first day of summer is still a week away but the weather has turned hot and I’m deeming it ice cream season now. There’s nothing like a big scoop of cooling sweet ice cream on a hot day to make it truly feel like summer. The race to eat it before it melts down your arm, the sticky feeling after – it doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or an adult everyone loves ice cream.
Ice cream though is my downfall. The new rule in our house is we can’t have it unless I’m making it.
There are plenty of great ice creams out there but the two of us go through it so quickly. If I’m going indulge, I’m going to indulge in something made with great, wholesome ingredients.
Besides eating ice cream way too quickly and too much of it, I tend to be boring with my flavors. This summer, it’s my goal to expand that horizon a bit and I’m starting with this cardamom fig version. The idea came to me when a gorgeous shipment of artisan foods from Golden Door arrived at my door. The box was a little something to say hello and we can’t wait to see you at Eat Write Retreat later this month. Eat Write Retreat, is one of my favorite food blogging conference and I’m heading off to Chicago at the end of June for my third year in attendance.
Of course that has nothing to do with ice cream though! In the box from Golden Door, it contained a jar of fig preserves that called out to me. It’s still a little early for fig season but I could get my fix with this. Unlike jam, the preserves were silky smooth and the perfect add in for some ice cream.
I felt like the fig and the herbal citrusy spice of cardamom would be a great match. Turns out it was!
My ice cream recipes are always simple and basic, milk, cream, sugar, eggs made with organic versions of each of course. I feel like it elevates the taste when purchase high quality and local – I’m telling you those farm eggs make an incredible difference. The joy was there too when the preserves included just the basics as well figs, figs (yes two types!), sugar, lemon juice and pectin.
Simple ingredients make the best the recipes. I think this rule of eating only homemade ice cream this summer is going to work out for us.
Oh but shhh don’t tell if I end up with a scoop of ice cream in hand while I’m Chicago, the rule doesn’t exist in other cities. 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup pure cane sugar
- 8-9 whole green cardamom pods
- pinch of salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Fig Preserves (such as Golden Door ), plus extra for topping
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan bring the milk, sugar and salt to a simmer over medium heat.
- Smash the cardamom pods open with the back of a chefs knife and add it to the milk. Remove from the heat, cover and steep for 30-45 minutes.
- Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk together.
- After 45 minutes, bring the milk back up to a simmer and ladle a small amount into the eggs, whisking at the same time to temper.
- While whisking the milk, very slowly drizzle in the eggs. Cook the custard for 1-2 minutes or until it's thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon. You should be stirring the custard the entire time, scrapping the bottom as you stir. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl set over an ice bath with a fine mesh sieve set over top. Pour the custard into the cream. Discard the solids and mix the custard into the cream. Cool completely.
- At this point the ice cream base can be placed in the refrigerator to be cooled down overnight or left in the ice bath for an hour to be chilled.
- Once the base is chilled, churn in your ice cream maker according to its directions.
- Once finished chilling, scoop into a freezer safe container and stir in the fig preserves.
- Freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight.
- Serve scoops with a dollop of extra fig preserves on top.
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I was provided with a selection of products from Golden Door as an attendee of Eat Write Retreat. As always, all opinions are my own.
YUM! Excited to try this!
I’m all about figs, and this ice cream with the cardamom sounds incredible!
When I first read the title to this post, before seeing it anywhere on the internets, I pinned it. It sounds amazing!!!
This combination sounds amazing! I don’t make ice cream often enough; this is a great reason to change that!
The flavors sound amazing. Love the photography and styling. Those photos are gorgeous!
Cardamom and fig is such a tasty combination. I’d love a scoop of this!!