Go for the gold....

At work, we kick off every day with a "good morning" meeting. Those of us that are able to break away from our departments gather in a pre-designated spot on the sales floor and have about a 10 minute check-in. It's an opportunity to share any news from our respective departments, introduce new team members (we call ourselves "partners"), and to sample new products. The product sampling is really fun, I've tasted foods at morning meetings that I would otherwise never tried. Some, I was happy to never taste again, and some have become new favorites. One inspired a cooking class.

We have a relatively large Healthy Living department at our store. The department includes everything from the expected assortment of herbal remedies and dietary supplements to shampoos, lotions, baby products, and superfood ingredients. At one of my first morning meetings, our Healthy Living manager, Jane, brought "golden milk" for all of us to taste. Golden milk powder is made from a blend of spices, primarily turmeric with black pepper, cardamom, and vanilla usually also mixed in. The powder is then mixed into warm milk and served as a beverage. The mix of spices is said to have anti-inflammatory properties as well as supporting the immune system and aiding the digestive system.

As I took a sip of the golden milk, I immediately could appreciate the aromatic properties of the spice blend, it had a real depth of flavor. The particular brand of golden milk powder that Jane was having us try also had dates and ashwagandha (an herb used widely in ancient Indian form of medicine called Ayurveda). I liked it, but as I drank it, I realized that I didn't care for it as a hot beverage. I turned to Jane and said, "I think this would make a great ice cream." She immediately gave me the entire jar of powder and told me she wanted to be the first to taste it.

Jane and I ended up putting together a cooking class that featured the Healthy Living department, and the Golden Milk Ice Cream recipe below was featured as the dessert. We ran it last month, and it was a huge success with our students. We always ask our students to tell us their favorite recipe at the end of the class, and the ice cream took the prize that night. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Golden Milk Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart of ice cream

2 13.5-ounce cans of full fat coconut milk
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Golden Milk powder
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, sugar, and Golden Milk powder and bring to a simmer. Place the egg yolks in a separate large bowl and whisk until blended. Using a ladle, slowly add the shot coconut milk into the egg yolks while continuously whisking. After all of the coconut milk has been added into the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Bring the mixture back to a simmer while continuously stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, cooking until it is thick and coats the back of the spoon. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl(this will remove any bits of curdled egg). Stir in the vanilla bean paste and chill completely.

Process the ice cream according to your ice cream maker manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until set.