adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean (or 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract) - I used the vanilla bean
2 cardamom pods (I could have used another)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
6 TB sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 TB cold unsalted butter
Pour milk into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk. Put the pod into the milk and add the cardamom pods. Bring just to a simmer and then remove from heat and steep covered for 30 minutes. If using vanilla extract instead of the bean just deal with the cardamom and you will add the extract later).

Heat the milk again to just below the boiling point and remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Add the flour and whisk vigorously until the mixture is very smooth. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture to the eggs and continue whisking vigorously. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the rest of the milk and continue whisking.

Heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches a boil, and then cook another minute, until the pastry cream is very thick. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla extract (if using) and ground cardamom. I added more cardamom here because I didn't feel like the flavor was strong enough. I felt like it was drowned a bit by the vanilla beans so I added more. Had I used more cardamom pods in the beginning, this may not have been the case!

Strain the creme into a medium bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the creme patissiere and then either set the bowl over a bowl of ice and water, or put it into the freezer for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, put the bowl into the refrigerator. Once cooled, it can be used right away or stored in the refrigerator until needed.

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