Cinnamon Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon good-quality ground cassia or cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 4 cinnamon or cassia sticks, each broken into 3 or 4 pieces
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2-¾ cup granulated sugar (I prefer less sugar)
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream 
• a touch of vanilla

Directions

1. In a small, dry, non-stick skillet over low heat, toast the ground cinnamon until it is warm to the touch and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes: Keep the spice moving, either by shaking the pan or by stirring, to prevent scorching. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

2. In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, combine the milk, 1/2 cup cream, and the pieces of cinnamon stick. Place the pot over medium heat and bring just to the boil, watching closely so the cream doesn’t boil over. As soon as bubbles break the surface, remove the pot from the heat and let the custard infuse for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then gradually whisk in the sugar. Beat just until it pales and thickens ever so slightly. Place a damp kitchen towel around the base of the bowl to keep it still and whisk in the hot cream, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated.

3. Rinse out the saucepan but don’t dry it; this will help prevent the custard from sticking to the bottom. Have ready a fine strainer set over a clean bowl. Return the custard mixture to the pot over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes. A finger drawn across the back of the spoon should leave a clean trail. Immediately pour the custard through the strainer and set aside for a moment.

4. Add 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream to the roasted cinnamon and use a rubber spatula to blend into a thick, smooth paste. Add another 2 tablespoons of the cream and work this in until the mixture is about the consistency of a spreadable icing. Whisk the cinnamon paste into the hot strained custard until smooth. Stir in the remaining whipping cream and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard to prevent it from forming a skin. Poke a few holes in the plastic to allow steam to escape and place the bowl in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.

5. Process the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the softly frozen ice cream to a freezable dish and freeze until firm. This richly flavoured ice cream is wonderful on its own, but makes an exceptionally good accompaniment to many other desserts. Although best within a few days of being made, this ice cream can be stored for up to 1 week.