Cardamom pods are one of those ubiquitous spices used in beverages like chai, savoury dishes, and a whole lot of Indian desserts. Cardamom has such a unique flavour profile - it’s slightly citrusy, minty, and spicy - so it adds a distinctive, aromatic kick in everything you use. So, here are three fragrant and flavourful desserts beyond traditional Indian dishes that pay homage to this amazing spice.
Cardamom Skolebrød from Norway
Ingredients:
For the buns:
- 450 gm flour
- 100 gm caster sugar
- 3 tbsp active dry yeast
- 50 gm butter
- 300 ml milk
- 2 tsp cardamom powder
Custard filling:
- 200 ml milk
- 100 ml cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 50 gm caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Topping:
- 1 beaten egg
- 50 g icing sugar
- 4 tbsp dessicated coconut or coconut flakes
Ingredients:
- Heat butter and milk in a saucepan, just enough to melt the butter. You can also do this in the microwave.
- Sift the flour and put it into a mixing bowl with yeast, sugar and cardamom powder. Make a well, and slowly pour the warm milk. Incorporate all the ingredients so you get a smooth and elastic dough. Place it in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for 2 hours.
- Then move onto the custard by heating milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan. Whisk the sugar, egg yolks and cornstarch separately, and incorporate them into the warm liquid. Keep whisking on low heat until thick. You can strain the custard once cooled through a fine meshed sieve to remove any lumps or curdled egg.
- Pour into a container lined with baking paper. Cover and cool for an hour.
- Once the dough has risen, punch the excess air and roll it into 12 equal balls.
- Smooth them into buns and place on a lined baking sheet. Cover and let them rise again.
- As they rise, preheat the oven to 200 C.
- Create an indent on the top of each bun where the custard will go. Pipe or spoon the custard.
- Once done, don’t forget to brush the buns with some beaten egg and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Let them cool, then dust with icing sugar and coconut.
Kardemummakaka from Sweden
Ingredients:
- 310 gm flour
- 300 gm melted, unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ tbsp cardamom powder
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 177 ml milk
- 150 g sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a cake tin with some butter.
- Sift the baking powder and flour in a bowl first to remove any lumps. Then add cardamom powder.
- Whisk together eggs and sugar until you get a smooth and creamy mixture.
- Then add milk and melted butter to this.
- Incorporate all the dry and wet ingredients, then transfer this batter into the prepared cake tin.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes.
- You can decorate the cake with icing sugar and cardamom powder before serving.
Simple Cardamom Custard
Ingredients:
- 300 ml cream
- 300 ml milk
- 6 crushed cardamom pods with seeds
- 4 egg yolks
- 50 gm caster sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions:
- Heat the cream, milk, and crushed cardamom pods in a saucepan. Simmer for just about 5 to 10 minutes then take the pan off heat.
- Let the milk and cream infuse with the cardamom flavour, then fish then out of the pan.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until smooth, then add the cornstarch. Pour some of the cardamom infused liquid to loosen this mixture.
- Then add it into the saucepan and put it back on heat. Let this mixture cook and thicken for about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve if needed so it's smooth.
- Enjoy as is or pour it over some sponge cake.