Dark Chocolate Cardamom Ice Cream

My mom's best friend recently opened a fantastic spice shop in Colorado. As a result, I've been the recipient of some exotic hand-me-downs: smoked salt, pumpkin powder, chili threads, candied cantaloupe, and recently, cardamom pods. Until now, I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. Turns out cardamom goes great with dark chocolate.

These are cardamom pods. Kind of cute, aren't they?

Pick open the pods and you will find these seeds.

Grind them with a mortal and pestle.

Mmmm chocolate. I used Lindt dark chocolate with 70% cocoa.

Chop it into pieces.

Place the chocolate bits in a bowl, and pour the hot custard over it. 

Stir as it melts.

Then add cream!

Recipe:

6 cardamom pods

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1 dark chocolate bar, chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Remove cardamom seeds from pods and grind with a mortar and pestle. Combine the cardamom powder with milk and sugar in a pot and cook over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. When the liquid begins to come to a simmer, slowly add about half the liquid to the eggs. Then slowly pour the egg mixture back into the pot and continue to cook over medium heat. Stir continuously until liquid becomes a custard and sticks to the back of a spoon. Pour the hot custard over chopped chocolate in a separate bowl. Stir to melt the chocolate, then add the heavy cream. Cool in refrigerator or over an ice bath. When it's cold, add it to the ice cream machine and churn.