Spiced Rum Ice Cream
Play around with the spices in this mix—allspice and nutmeg would also be terrific. But tread lightly: We found that a heavy hand with the spices (cloves, especially) and rum overwhelmed the delicate balance of flavors.
Makes about 4 cups
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 18 cardamom pods lightly crushed
- 5 whole cloves
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Heat cream, milk, cardamom pods, and cloves in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming but not simmering, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and steep for at least 1 hour, then strain through a sieve (discarding spices) and return cream mixture to the saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl ⅔ of the way with ice and water.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl for about 1 minute until mixture is silky and light yellow.
- Whisk about ⅓ of the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture until combined. Add egg mixture to the remaining warm cream and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes, until custard thickens and coats a spatula.
- Strain custard through a sieve into a medium bowl. Place bowl in the ice bath for about 5 minutes, stirring to cool down the custard.
- Remove custard from ice bath and stir in rum, ground cardamom, ground cloves, and salt. Transfer to a lidded container, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Taste chilled custard and adjust seasoning as needed. Pour into the chilled bowl of your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to a lidded container, cover, and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. Soften at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving.
Leigh Belanger
Leigh Belanger is culture's former food editor. She's been a food writer, editor, and project manager for over a decade— serving as program director for Chefs Collaborative and contributing to local newspapers and magazines. Her first book, The Boston Homegrown Cookbook, was published in 2012. She lives and cooks in Boston with her family.
