Tag: cardamom

Anise Ice Cream with Cardamom

Anise Ice Cream // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

Anise Ice Cream // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Anise Ice Cream // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Anise Ice Cream // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

I went to Seattle this past weekend. My aunt was visiting, and I needed to get out of town a bit. It turned out that he was also having this dinner with friends. He has all these friends who cook, and so they’re starting this dinner club kind of thing, like an extremely organized potluck.

It’s really cute – whoever is hosting picks a cuisine or a cookbook, and sends the guests recipes to make. My dad picked the Pok Pok cookbook, and oh my goodness, the meal was incredible. We helped him make the famous chicken wings (which were exactly like the real thing), which was so fun. And for dessert I made this dish I’ve been working on with my baker friend Caitlyn (post coming soon, we still have a bit more testing to do). Wanting something to top it with, I decided to also make some ice cream from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop. So what goes with a slightly Asian cake, and an incredibly flavorful dinner? I picked the anise ice cream, and decided to add a touch of cardamom.

This ice cream is beautiful – extremely creamy, herbaceous, and perfectly sweet, I could have gladly eaten just a bowl of the ice cream for dessert (or for a snack, which I did the next day). After making (and eating) this ice cream, I proceeded to take pictures of many recipes in The Perfect Scoop so I can make them at home… because unfortunately, I don’t have the book for myself.

Anise Ice Cream with Cardamom

Ingredients

2 tsp anise seeds
2-3 green cardamom pods
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbl good quality honey
pinch of salt
5 egg yolks

Instructions

Toast the anise seeds and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant. To the saucepan add 1 cup of the cream, the milk, sugar, honey, and salt. Keep saucepan over heat until the liquid is warm, then cover, remove from heat, and let steep for an hour.

After an hour, re-warm the milk mixture over low heat. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium mixing bowl, with a sieve set over the top. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. When the milk mixture is warm, slowly pour it into the bowl of egg yolks, whisking constantly. Then, pour the milk and egg yolk mixture back into the original saucepan and cook over medium heat. Stir it constantly, preferably with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture has thickened and coats the spatula or spoon. Pour this custard through the strainer into the bowl with the cream, and stir it so the cream is fully incorporated. Set this bowl in an ice bath and stir to cool. Refrigerate until cooled through, and then churn based on your machine’s instructions. Enjoy!

Weekend Finds 1:12:14

I am writing this at 10 pm on Sunday night. I am failing at weekend finds. Oof.

But hey, my mom and sister were here this weekend (we had a fantastic dinner at my place of work, Firehouse), I celebrated Jonah and our roommate Johnny’s birthdays, and worked. So you know what? It’s ok that I’m writing this at 10 pm on Sunday. That’s just fine.

1. Note to Selfie

Note to Selfie article on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
The picture that will always remind me of my friend’s New Year’s Eve wedding in Seattle.

I really liked this article about documenting our lives by John Dickerson on Slate. I feel like people get and give a lot of flack (including myself, all the time) for tweeting/facebooking/texting/instagramming, and while I understand a lot of the point – those people who are on their phones for an ENTIRE MEAL are ridiculous – there is something to be said for allowing people to observe and think and be present in their own way. I often feel embarrassed about photographing food, and very judged for it, but I want to remember those little moments, and sometimes a picture of a croissant reminds me of a frosty morning with my family.

2. Where the locals eat in Portland

"Where the Locals Eat in Portland" on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Eat like we eat.

A short article with a short list of “where the locals eat in Portland” from USA Today. I’d call it correct – I love all of these places. Specifically, if you haven’t been to Ned Ludd or Aviary, go sooooooon! (Also see cheap eats in Portland under $10.)

3. Cardamom Roasted Plum Ice Cream

Cardamom Roasted Plum Ice Cream on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Doesn’t this make you want summer, too?

Is it summer yet? Ughhhhh. I want to make this ice cream from Fork Spoon Knife. Right now. Now now now.

4. 10 Best Budget Bourbons

10 Best Budget Bourbons list on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
It’s time to get my (budget) bourbon on.

I think, tentatively, I have become a whiskey drinker. These days, I prefer bourbon, and while I’d love to go buy some really nice stuff to drink, I’m still a beginner. And cheap. So I’ll stick to this list of budget bourbons over on Serious Eats, thanks.

5. Grown up tater tots

Grown Up Tater Tots on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Yum grown up tater tots!

These grown up tater tots look really wonderful. Tom Douglas serves something similar at one of his restaurants (maybe more than one, I can’t remember) in Seattle, Lola. I’ve always wanted to try making a version, and this might be my ticket. Also, I love their suggestion of pairing this savory, garlicky snack with a sweet beverage like cocoa.

The Perfect Equation (for Granola, anyway)

The perfect granola equations // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

First, let me apologize for disappearing for a little while. I was laid up in bed with a really terrible cold for most of this week. There was lots of tea, cough drops, movies, tom kha soup, and knitting. But now that I’m back from the land of the ill, let’s talk about granola a little bit.

For a while now, I’ve been making the recipe from Orangette or another friend’s secret granola recipe. And every time I’ve tried to go rogue (aka not exactly following a recipe), my granola ends up too dry, or not sweet enough, or not as crispy as I like it. And I’m not the kind to make the same recipe a thousand times trying to add a teaspoon more of this or up the temperature 13 degrees. It’s not going to happen.

So when I happened upon a granola equation, on Buzzfeed of all places, I immediately wrote it down on a little notepad I’ve started carrying with me wherever I go (can’t recommend that enough). And I’ve used it many times. I’ve made a couple adjustments, and I have a couple of suggestions in terms of which way to lean on some of their more vague instructions, and I want to share it with you.

The Perfect Granola Equation

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

3 1/2 cups grain This is where most people use oats. I use oats. I guess if you want to use barley or whatever, you can.

1 – 1 1/2 cups nuts I’ve been using mostly a mix of whatever I have around. I like half pecans, half sliced almonds, but I’ve also used walnuts.

1 tsp salt

1 – 2 cups seeds I would suggest leaning towards one cup instead of two. Otherwise it can quickly start to feel like you’re eating birdseed. I’ve been mostly using pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds (old habits and all that), but I’m itching to try sesame seeds too.

1 cup coconut If you really dislike coconut, you can go without, but it adds a lovely nutty toasty flavor to the granola that I adore.

Spices You can really add as many as you like, but don’t get too crazy. A teaspoon of cinnamon is always a good place to start, and after that, maybe add a quarter teaspoon of one or two other things. I always use a quarter teaspoon of cardamom, and because it’s the holiday season and I associate nutmeg with the holidays, I’ve been adding a quarter teaspoon of that as well.

1 cup dried fruit I’m personally not a fan of dried fruit in my granola – I’d rather cut in a banana or peach or some berries – but if you are, you can add it after baking. If you’re adding something big like dried apricot or figs (as opposed to something small like dried cranberries or cherries), cut it into a rough dice before tossing it in with the granola.

Wet Ingredients

1/2 – 3/4 cup sweetener I like to do mostly maple syrup, though it can get a little pricy. Sometimes I’ll do half syrup and half honey. Agave is another good option.

1/4 – 1/2 cup oil I used to use solely olive oil – I liked the kind of savory-ness it brought to the granola – but I’ve started doing half olive oil and half coconut oil, and I am a big big fan.

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients, stir until thoroughly combined and coated. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the granola on the parchment. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes (unless you like clumpier granola, in which case stir once halfway through). Remove from oven, allow to cool, and enjoy.