Orange Cardamom Pistachio Ice Cream (Sandwiches)

1. 1

   Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set aside.

2. 2

   In a heavy medium saucepan, beat the egg yolks with a whisk. Add honey, orange zest, cardamom and orange liqueur and combine well. Whisk in 1 cup of the half-and-half and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (If the mixture curdles, just run it in the blender for a few seconds before moving on to the next step.).

3. 3

   Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl with a pouring spout, pressing hard on the zest. Place the bowl in the ice bath and chill. Stir in the remaining 1 cup half & half, orange juice and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until very cold (overnight if possible).

4. 4

   When ice cream base has chilled, churn in ice cream maker, according to manufacturer's instructions. During the last couple minutes of churning time, add the pistachios (Omit if making sandwiches).

5. 5

   Place in sealed container and freeze to bloom for at least 3 hours. Just before serving, remove from freezer and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before scooping into bowls.

6. 6

   Note: To make ice cream sandwiches, I used Martha Stewart's Pistachio Shortbread Sandwich Cookies (http://www.marthastewart.com/951671/pistachio-shortbread-sandwich-cookies), replacing the jam with ice cream (Click on title for recipe). I also added 1 tablespoon orange zest.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.