I’m high key obsessed with masala in all it’s forms.
Indian cuisine ranks high on the list of things that make the world a better place. It was only natural, therefore, that I experiment with it as an ice cream flavor. And it did not disappoint.
Like most of my recipes, you don’t need any special equipment or skill to make this ice cream; only the all consuming need to want to eat a delicious treat, made with your very own hands. A thing of beauty.
This ice cream has all the warming flavors of cinnamon, ginger and cardamom.
I steeped the fragrant spices in a whipping cream and milk mixture overnight to deepen the flavors, a crucial step. As a result, the recipe might seem a little time consuming. (It’s really not)
Once the milk mixture was infused with the whole spices, I then used it to make a custard base. The custard base is typically prepared with egg yolks, which enhances the creaminess of the final product.
I then mixed everything together until it thickened and then strained the mixture. I transferred this to a freeze proof bowl to cool. After cooling, I froze it, mixing it through with a fork every 45 minutes (thrice) for the first 2Hrs and 15 minutes. This incorporates air into the ice cream ensuring it doesn’t freeze rock hard since we are not using a churning machine.
The recipe yields slightly more that 1L of ice cream.
Masala Ice Cream
Difficulty: Moderate1>
L30
MinutesOvernight
6 Hrs - Overnight
This homemade no-churn ice cream is flavorful and easy to make with no specialized equipment. It has the warming flavors of cinnamon, ginger and cardamom.
Ingredients
6 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon cardamom pods
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cloves
2 inches fresh ginger: peeled and grated
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
A pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, add the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and black peppercorns. Heat the spices until fragrant.
In the same saucepan, add the whipping cream, milk, half a cup of sugar and the ground spices. Stir to combine. Warm the mixture just until it starts to bubbles around the edges. Do not boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the fresh ginger and stir. Transfer to another container and let the mixture cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Next day: In a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, salt and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Whisk until pale. Set aside.
Re-heat the milk mixture. Remove from the heat and slowly drizzle it over the egg yolks whisking constantly until combined.
Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook it over medium heat, whisking it constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon - about 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and strain the mixture into a bowl. Cool the mixture then refrigerate for an hour.
Pour the mixture into a freezer proof container and freeze. Stir through with a fork every 45 minutes (3 times) for the first 2Hrs and 15 minutes. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Scoop, serve and enjoy!
