Ginger Plum/Star Anise Ice Cream

If you like ginger, this is the ice cream for you.

You Will Need:

For the syrup:

2 red plums, chopped with skins on
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4-5 tablespoons chopped stem ginger
2 star anise pods

Bring all to a boil, then reduce and simmer until plums are pulp. Force through a fine sieve to extract most of the juice leaving behind the solids and fibre part of the plums. Cool.

For the ice cream:

4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
Half of the plum/ginger syrup (reserve the rest for limeade, or an interesting iced tea)

Whisk together the eggs and sugar until light. Heat the cream and milk until steaming. Slowly whisk into the egg mixture taking care not to scramble the eggs. Return to pan and cook until 170 degrees F. Strain into a heat proof bowl. Add the syrup and place the bowl into an ice bath. When chilled, process in an ice cream freezer, or by hand with a freezer tray (that's what I did). Makes about 1 pint.