Active Time

　　20 min

　　Total Time

　　6 3/4 hr

　　We were enchanted by Segovia-Welsh’s idea of cold ice cream flavored with "warming" spices such as those found in the fragrant Chinese blend called five-spice powder. It turns the honest little caramel pecan cakes into something suave.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

　　3 (2-inch) pieces dried tangerine peel

　　2 teaspoons black peppercorns

　　1 teaspoon pink peppercorns

　　1 whole star anise

　　1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

　　1/2 teaspoon whole allspice

　　2 cups heavy cream

　　2 cups whole milk

　　1 cup sugar, divided

　　1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

　　1 whole large egg

　　8 large egg yolks

　　1 tablespoon dark rum

　　1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

　　

Equipment:

an electric coffee/spice grinder

　　an ice cream maker

　　

Step 1

Tear tangerine peel into pieces. Pulse peppercorns, star anise, cloves, and allspice to a coarse mixture in grinder.

　　

Step 2

Combine cream, milk, tangerine peel, spices, and 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. With tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream mixture, then drop in pod. Bring mixture just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Bring spiced milk to a simmer, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding spices and peel. Return to saucepan.

　　

Step 4

Whisk whole egg and yolks with remaining 1/2 cup sugar in bowl until pale, then add hot spiced milk in a slow stream, whisking. Return to saucepan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil). Immediately strain custard through fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then whisk in rum and kosher salt.

　　

Step 5

Chill custard at least 6 hours, then freeze in ice cream maker.

　　Cooks’ notes:

　　•If you can’t find dried tangerine peel, prepare your own by completely drying pieces of peel on a rack at dry room temperature, 4 to 5 days.

　　•Custard can be chilled up to 1 day.

　　•Ice cream can be made 1 week ahead.