Homemade Cardamom Ice Cream

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Looking for a deliciously simple Scandinavian take on ice cream? This Homemade Cardamom Ice Cream is just the thing. It's creamy, luxurious and has just the right amount of cardamom flavor.

The simple ice cream base really allows the cardamom to shine, bringing forth its subtle floral and citrus notes and creating an intoxicating new ice cream flavor you are going to love!

Why This Recipe Works

The recipe begins with a very basic custard ice cream base, and I've included step-by-step instructions to ensure that it is really easy to follow and produces excellent results every time.
The ice cream is churned in an ice cream maker which creates an extra-creamy and delicious final result.
This ice cream contains just the right amount of cardamom and a hint of vanilla for the absolute best flavor.

The Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Cardamom Ice Cream.

A mix of milk and cream create a luscious dairy base for this ice cream.
Egg yolks bring richness and a luxurious texture.
A modest amount of sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness.
A pinch of salt enhances and balances out that sweetness.
Cardamom (either whole pods or ground work just fine) and vanilla together bring an intoxicating flavor you'll want to return to again and again.

Equipment

An Ice Cream Maker

You will need an ice cream maker for this recipe. It is a bit of an investment (about $70), but a very worthwhile one. Ice cream makers make a super-creamy, wholesome homemade ice cream (sorbet and frozen yogurt, too!) that really can't be beat. Besides, it's fun to dust off the ice cream maker every summer or whenever the urge for homemade ice cream strikes and play around with new flavors and combinations.

How To Make This Recipe

Begin by separating the egg yolks from the egg whites. Transfer the egg yolks to a medium bowl and discard the whites or save them for another purpose. Whisk ¼ cup of the sugar into the egg yolks and set aside.

Egg yolks whisked together in a glass bowl with a whisk.

Combine the milk, cream, remaining ½ cup of sugar, salt and the crushed cardamom pods or the ground cardamom in a saucepan. Heat over medium low, stirring frequently, until the mixture just comes to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 20 minutes, allowing the flavor of the cardamom to really steep in the ice cream base.
Meanwhile, create an ice bath: Combine plenty of ice and cold water in a large bowl and set aside.

Cream, milk and cardamom pods in a saucepan with a wooden spoon.

Turn the heat back on and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Once it is JUST simmering, use a ladle to remove about 1 cup of the hot liquid from the saucepan. SLOWLY pour the hot liquid into the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly as you do so. This is called tempering the eggs, and it prevents them from cooking and coagulating into undesirable clumps when they come into contact with the hot liquid.

Once you've combined the hot liquid into the yolks, pour it all back into the saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly until it bubbles and starts to thicken, about 3 minutes.
Immediately transfer the custard to a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Strain out the cardamom seeds and any coagulated pieces of egg that have formed. Add the vanilla extract.
Set the bowl with the custard inside the ice bath. This will help it cool quickly and efficiently and result in creamier ice cream (see Expert Tips below). Stir the custard occasionally while it cools, and if the ice melts completely, replace it so that the ice bath stays nice and cool.

Custard with cardamom pods in a metal strainer.

Once the custard is completely cool, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until it is VERY cold, at least 3 hours or (preferably) overnight.
Churn the custard according to the manufacturer's instructions on your ice cream maker. Store the churned ice cream tightly covered in the freezer until it is completely frozen. Scoop and enjoy!

Overhead shot of ice cream in an ice cream maker.

Expert Tips

Remember to freeze the work bowl of the ice cream machine in advance. Ice cream making is not for the impulsive, the impatient or the spontaneous. It's an activity that rewards planning and preparation. The work bowl of your ice cream maker must be thoroughly chilled prior to successfully churning ice cream. See the manufacturer's instructions for specific details for your particular model, but this may take anywhere from 24-48 hours. During the summer months, I just keep the work bowl in the freezer so that when I'm ready to make a batch of ice cream it's ready to go.
Temper the egg yolks prior to adding them to the milk and cream mixture. There is a very good reason that the recipe asks you to SLOWLY mixing about a cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks prior to adding them back to the pan. This process is called tempering and it helps ensure that your eggs don't solidify once they hit the shocking heat of the cream mixture. We want creamy custard here, not scrambled eggs.
Strain the custard base once it has finished cooking. Some recipes will skip this step, but if you don't strain the mixture, you run the risk of having little bits of cooked egg in your finished project. Not good. Better to be on the safe side and strain.
DO NOT SKIP THE ICE BATH and cool the mixture COMPLETELY before putting it into the fridge. Ice crystals are the enemy of smooth and creamy ice cream. One of the reasons we use an ice bath to cool the custard base down quickly and completely is so that condensation doesn't form after you cover the mixture and cause additional water to find it's way back into the custard (water that will eventually freeze and become icy). I will let my custard sit in the ice bath until it is cool to the touch and then cover and transfer it to the refrigerator.
Don't skimp on the cooling time prior to churning. To prevent ice crystal formation, it's important to make sure that the mixture is good and cold before it goes into the ice cream maker. I almost always make my custard base one day and churn it the next.

Cardamom Ice Cream in a bowl with a spoon on a wooden surface.

FAQs

What is the best way to separate egg yolks from the whites?

There are several different ways to separate eggs, but my favorite is to crack the egg and transfer it to my hand. The egg white slips through my fingers leaving the yolk behind. Check out this really helpful graphic from www.marthastewart.com for a visual on this technique.

Can I make other flavors of ice cream with this custard base?

Absolutely! You can leave the cardamom out entirely and just make vanilla ice cream. Or try adding a fruit compote instead. You can even add mix-ins such as chopped nuts, chocolate, crushed candy or cookies or whatever you like at the very end of churning. The options are endless!

How do I store this ice cream?

Store the ice cream tightly sealed in the freezer for 4-6 weeks (although I doubt you'll need that long to finish a batch)!

Don't forget that krumkake make wonderful ice cream cones!

Krumkake piled high on a wire cooling rack.

Looking for more deliciously cool Nordic-inspired treats? I've got several here on the blog:

Recipe