It is time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  Woo-hoo!  What is the Secret Recipe Club?  It’s a lot like Secret Santa, but with recipes.  Each month you are assigned a blog.  After selecting a recipe from that bloggers repertoire, you make and post it on reveal day.  It is a great way to find fun recipes and blogs.  I like how it gets me to actually sit down and go through another person’s blog.  Blogs are a lot of work and take time to put together.  Instead of skimming through just the new stuff (as is usually easier when we see a new blog) it is fun to really sit down and go through what else the blog has to offer.  Fun stuff!

 

My assigned blog this month was Corina at Searching for Spice.  Corina’s blog is a record of some of the dishes she is making and as a push to try new things.  It is lovely!  So many delicious things I need to go back and try, such as Avocado, Yogurt and Coriander Dip, Watercress Risotto, or Afghan Potato Salad and Beef Kebabs.  Yum!  But the recipe haunting my dreams was Cardamom and Pistachio Ice Cream.  I changed it up by making it dairy free (because that is how we roll) and changing it from a pistachio ice cream to one with candied pistachios, because…  Well, because I wanted to!  Mmmmm….

 

Caramel ribbons studded with toasted pistachio in cardamom ice cream.  The stuff of dreams, I tell ya.  Um, and my kids may have caught me licking the ice cream paddle after it was made.  And I wouldn’t share until the ice cream had chilled more.  It is that good.  Thank you, Corina!  We will be making this again with the pistachios in the ice cream, because this ice cream is magical.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

The Recipe: Secret Recipe Club – Dairy Free Cardamom Ice Cream with Candied Pistachios

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup a 13.5 oz can canned coconut milk (NOT low fat)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • for candied pistachios:
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup roasted pistachios

Instructions 

  • Combine the coconut milk and cardamom in a saucepan. Heat on medium-low heat, whisking often. As soon as it is about to simmer, take pan off the heat and leave for 15 minutes for the cardamom to infuse.
  • Beat the egg with the sugar until light colored.
  • Slowly pour the coconut milk mixture into the egg yolk and sugar, whisking all the time.
  • Return the egg, sugar and coconut milk mixture to the saucepan and heat gently, whisking continuously. It should gradually thicken. Stop when it forms a custard that coats the back of a spoon. Pour mixture through a stainer. Put plastic wrap on the surface of the custard before chilling for a minimum of 2 hours or over night.
  • To make candied pistachios, combine sugar and water in a saucepan and place on medium-high heat. Swirl pan several times until sugar is dissolved. Wipe down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to remove sugar crystals. Cook for about 10 minutes just till you see the mixture start to turn color. I cooked mine until a soft caramel stage (use and ice water test). Add the coconut oil and stir to combine. As soon as the oil is melted, add the nuts and remove from the heat. Pour over a silpat or parchment paper and spread it out. Set aside to cool. Can be made ahead of time but be careful, you’ll eat it before you make the ice cream.
  • When ready to make ice cream, put custard into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers instructions. After churning in the ice cream maker, fold in caramel/candied pistachios then, transfer to another container for 1-2 hours until firm.


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