Cardamom pods

[Jay22]

CARDAMOM CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH FRESH CHERRY COMPOTE

Sought-after British cherries have a very brief season, making them all the more special when they do appear. They taste heavenly alongside aromatic, cardamom-infused dark chocolate in this indulgent dessert.


PREP 150 MIN
COOK 15 MIN

340.0 CAL/
SERVING

MEDIUM
EFFORT
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE INGREDIENTSSERVES 6
CHERRY COMPOTE INGREDIENTSSERVES 6
INGREDIENTSSERVES 6
5 cardamom pods
4 medium eggs
175g dark chocolate
15g butter
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
3 tbsp caster sugar
5 tbsp pink port
350g cherries
PREPARATION
Bruise the cardamom pods. Separate the medium eggs. Break the dark chocolate into small pieces. Stone the cherries.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
FOR THE CHERRY COMPOTE
AND THE REST...
1 To make the mousse, steep the cardamom pods in 1 tbsp of boiling water per pod for 10 minutes.
2 Strain the water into a heatproof bowl and discard the cardamom pods. Add the chocolate.
3 Sit the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat.
4 Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, followed by the butter.
5 Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff, then gradually add the sugar, whisking between each addition.
6 Fold into the chocolate mixture and spoon into 6 dessert glasses. Chill for at least 2 hours.
7 To make the compote, put the sugar and port in a small pan and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved.
8 Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Stir them into the port mixture and simmer for 2 minutes.
9 Add the cherries and continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until just tender.
10 Chill until the mousses are ready to serve, then spoon over the compote.

Enjoy! Just notice it says 150 mins to prepare...can't see why!

[Nicos]

Looks straight forward enough!! ....

Thanks ....
but...Pink Port???...never heard of it before!..No chance of getting it here- I wonder what you could substitute it with???
Anyone know???

[PyreneesPlot]

Love it! I buy it buy the kilo from a place called Exotic Stores in Reading as it is much cheaper than a teeny jar from the supermarket. It goes in curries, steamed rice, pickles and takes banana bread and shortbread to another level

[Jay22]

I presume you mean cardamom and not pink port PP?

You can buy it from Amazon France Nicos! ( Le Port Rose that is!)

[Bren In Pots]

Up to now I've only ever used cardamom in curries so I'll be trying some of those ideas, thanks

[Bal]

The pods have almost as much flavour as the seeds so if using I put them whole into a coffee grinder and then just sieve the powder before I use it. I used to put pods into sugar too to jive just a hint of flavour. Great on strawberries with cream

[dilettante]

It's a really lovely spice isn't it?
I had cardamom rice pudding made with coconut milk a while ago...and boy was that delish!

This sounds amazing. That'll help me get my winter layer.

[Nicos]

You need to stir it in a pan....not put it in the oven

[gringo]

Wow some great ideas on here.

My fave cardamom recipe is a chili rice, think it was a Jamie recipe. Though I've adapted it :-)

Boil a load of rice.

In a BIG frying pan on a gentle heat with a bit of oil, fry a couple of grated (or finely chopped) chilis for a minute or two. Add a tube of tomato purée, the seeds from about 8 cardamon pods, 7 ish cloves(count them and remember!) Fry gently for another couple mins. Start spooning in yor rice, mixing thoroughly all the time. When all the rice is in and lovely and pink, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Mix and start picking out the cloves so no-one breaks their teeth.

Serve with roasted veg marinated in mashed tomatillos, chorizo and chicken or prawns or whatever.

DON'T FORGET THE LEMON JUICE!

[snakeshack]

I like mild garlic pickle (from cherry Tree) which contains loads of cardamom seeds, if only I could find the recipe as i'm addicted

[Mrs Bee]

I adore cardamom. I get the green pods in the Asian food stores and the powdered cardamom seeds from the local Turkish food centre. I don't use the black cardamom.

The Scandinavians use cardamom in lots of sweetbreads and baking.

I make blood orange and cardamom marmalade,
apple, vanilla and cardamom jelly,
lemon, pear and cardamom marmalade
grapefruit lime and cardamom marmalade.
lemon, pear, cardamom and ginger marmalade
Plum, orange and cardamom jam with port
Coffee, cardamom and chocolate chip biscotti.

As well as Asian recipes.

cardamom has a natural affinity with coffee, chocolate, white and dark and cherries.

[DannyK]

There's two sorts. Green and black. The green one has light papery pods and I believe it's the better one.

The seeds are nice to chew.

The local Turkish Food Centre sometimes has Turkish coffee blended with cardamon which is nice if you like very strong coffee.