Cardamom Custard Recipes

HONEY-CARDAMOM CUSTARDS WITH STRAWBERRY-ORANGE COMPOTE

Steps:

• For Custard:
• Combine 2 cups milk, whipping cream, vanilla bean, orange peel strips, ground cardamom and salt in heavy small saucepan. Cook milk mixture over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear around edge of saucepan. Remove from heat and let steep 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove softened vanilla bean from milk mixture. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into milk mixture; add bean. Heat milk mixture again until tiny bubbles appear around edge of saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat, add honey and stir until honey melts. Using fork, beat egg yolks and whole egg in medium bowl just until blended. Gradually mix hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Strain custard into large measuring cup with spout.
• Pour custard into four 1 1/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Set dishes in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Cover baking pan loosely with aluminum foil. Bake custards until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer dishes to rack and cool completely. Cover custards and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead.
• For Compote:
• Place sliced strawberries in medium bowl. Using small sharp knife, hold oranges over same bowl and cut between membranes to release segments, allowing juice and segments to fall into bowl. Squeeze orange membranes over same bowl to release any juice. Mix in 1 tablespoon honey and ground cardamom. (Compote can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Place custards in dishes on plates. Top with compote and serve.

CARDAMOM-COFFEE CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a nonreactive saucepan, bring the milk, vanilla bean, crushed coffee beans and cardamom to a simmer over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow and fluffy. With the mixer running at low speed, mix in the cornstarch, then very gradually pour in the hot milk mixture, mixing it in as you go.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve back into the saucepan, to smooth it and to remove the spices. Whisking constantly, cook over medium-high heat until thick and just boiling. When the mixture thickens, the whisk will leave trail marks on the bottom of the pot and the mixture will have a few large bubbles boiling up to the top. Cook just until no starchy taste or feeling remains. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted. Pour into 4 custard cups, ramekins, or mugs and chill, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled, placing a whole coffee bean in the center of each serving.

ROSE WATER AND CARDAMOM CUSTARD

Steps:

• Mix custard powder with 1/2 cup of milk until smooth.
• Add 3.5 cups of milk, cardamom and sugar into a saucepan.
• Bring to the boil on medium heat, stirring frequently as not to scorch.
• Remove milk from heat.
• Add in the custard powder slowly stirring all the time.
• Place milk back onto heat stir constantly until smooth and custard has thickened (+ - 5 minutes).
• Remove from heat.
• Add rose water stir well.
• Cool.
• Add whipping cream and mix well.
• Place in a bowl and sprinkle with ground pistachios.
• Serve chilled.

CARDAMOM-ALMOND CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine half and half, sugar and honey in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat; stir in chopped almonds and ground cardamom. Cover and let steep 30 minutes. Strain through fine sieve; discard solids in sieve.
• Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in half and half mixture. Place six 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes in roasting pan. Divide custard mixture among custard cups. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cups.
• Bake custards until set around edges and center moves only slightly when cups are gently shaken, about 45 minutes. Remove custards from water. Cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)