Pistachio-Saffron-Rosewater Ice Cream

One of my favorite cookbooks is SPICE from Ana Sortun {the chef at Oleana and Sofra in Cambridge, Massachusetts}. Looking for an ice cream recipe with flavors that would compliment her recipes, I found a few variations on pistachio that I thought might be perfectly delicious. I've combined and adapted a few of them for what I think is a good balance of flavors with just enough of the flowery rosewater essence to bring to mind a more exotic place and time. A great finish to a spicy Mediterranean meal!

Ingredients:
1 cup cream
1 cup half and half
1 heaping teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 egg yolks
1 cup superfine sugar
1/3 cup rosewater
1 cup pistachios, crushed or chopped to small pieces


1. Heat cream, half and half, saffron, 1/2 cup chopped pistachios and vanilla to just boiling, being careful not to overcook. While the cream mixture is coming to the boil, whisk yolks with sugar in a metal bowl.
2. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into yolks in a slow, steady stream, whisking all the while. Don't stop whisking. Let it cool a bit by whisking for another 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the remaining cream mixture and cook over low-medium heat until the custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, stirring constantly.
4. Strain the custard, removing the steeped pistachios, and cool in the refrigerator (overnight is best but 4-6 hours will do). When you are ready to make the ice cream, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped pistachios and pour all of the custard into an ice cream maker; freeze according to manufacturer's directions and let set for at least 6 hours.

Garnish with finely chopped pistachios