Cardamom Custard Food

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.

CARDAMOM CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a blender, process cashews, 2 cups milk, salt, and syrup for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a saucepan, add cardamom, and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, whisk remaining tablespoon milk and the arrowroot until smooth. Add to saucepan and thicken mixture over medium heat, whisking, 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Strain custard into a bowl and let cool slightly, then transfer to refrigerator. Serve chilled.

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.

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.).

CARDAMOM CUSTARDS (WW)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray 6 custard cups or ramekins with Pam.
• In a saucepan mix together the milk, dry milk and sugar over medium high heat; cook stirring until mixture boils and sugar is dissolved (3-5 minutes).
• Meanwhile whisk together the eggs in a bowl.
• Remove pan from heat and gradually whisk in eggs, vanilla and the cardamom.
• Divide custard mixture among custard cups which are put in a roasting pan. Pour hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until knife inserted in center of custard comes out clean. Transfer custard cups to a wire rack and cool to room temperature and then chill for at least 4 hours.
• Serve custards topped with preserves.

CARDAMOM BUNS

Steps:

• Crack open 10 of the cardamom pods with a pestle and mortar, and tip into a saucepan. Add the milk and warm until steaming but not boiling. Add 50g butter (leave the remaining butter at room temperature to soften) and set aside to cool until lukewarm, swirling the pan from time to time to encourage the butter to melt.
• Put the flour, 75g of the sugar, the yeast, cinnamon and 1 /2 tsp salt into a large bowl, or the bowl of a freestanding mixer. Mix until well combined. When the milk has cooled, strain it through a sieve into the flour, discarding the cardamom. Using a wooden spoon or dough hook, mix to form a soft dough. Tip onto a work surface and knead for 10 mins, or run the freestanding mixer for 5 mins, until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Clean the bowl, lightly grease with oil, then return the dough to the bowl and turn it over until well coated in oil. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or cling film and leave to rise for 2 hrs or until doubled in size (you could prove it in the fridge overnight).
• Crack the remaining cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar. Prise them open and tip the seeds back into the mortar, discarding the pods. Crush the seeds to a powder, then combine with 150g sugar. In a bowl, mix the remaining butter with all but 2 tbsp of the cardamom sugar.
• Line two baking trays with parchment. Punch the dough down to knock out the air, then roll to a rectangle roughly 35 x 45cm, with the longer edge facing you. Spread the cardamom butter over the surface, right to the edges. Fold the top third down to the middle and the bottom third up, like an envelope, so you have three layers of dough. Score, then cut into 12 equal strips, measuring about 3.5 x 11cm each. Cut each strip down the centre, leaving it attached at the top. Twist each strip away from the centre two or three times, then tie the dough in a knot and tuck the ends underneath the bun. Put each on the tray when done.
• Cover both trays with a sheet of lightly oiled cling film and leave somewhere warm to rise for 30 mins - 1 hr, or until almost doubled in size. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
• Uncover the buns and brush all over with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with the pearl sugar. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown - swap the trays halfway through if they're browning unevenly.
• Tip the remaining cardamom sugar into a pan and add 50ml water. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool, swirling to dissolve the sugar. Brush the syrup over the buns two or three times as they cool, leave them to soak for 20 mins before eating. Will keep for 2 days in a sealed container, or freeze for 2 months. Defrost at room temperature and reheat for 5 mins in the oven before eating.

BLACKBERRY CRISP WITH CARDAMOM CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the topping: Put flour, sugar, butter and ground cardamom in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, work ingredients together until the mixture resembles wet sand with a few stray pebbles. (The topping can be made in advance and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.)
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the blackberries with ½ cup/100 grams sugar and transfer the mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish.
• Sprinkle topping over berries loosely, and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the topping is well browned. Let cool for 10 minutes, or serve at room temperature.
• As the crisp bakes, make the custard sauce: Put half-and-half and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cardamom seeds and bring to just under a simmer, stirring. Put yolks in a bowl and whisk until smooth, then whisk in 1 cup of hot half-and-half mixture. Pour the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan and cook, whisking, on a very low flame until the mixture barely thickens, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Serve sauce hot, or let cool and refrigerate until ready to use. (Sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance.)
• To serve, scoop large spoonfuls of crisp into individual shallow bowls. Ladle the sauce around each serving or pass the sauce at the table.

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.)