- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise or 1/2 teaspoon star anise pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 cup coarsely mashed ripe banana (1 medium)
- 6 large egg yolks
- Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer; an ice cream maker
- Stir together cream, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, nutmeg, cardamom, white pepper, and a pinch of salt in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream mixture, then add pod. Purée banana in a food processor, then whisk into cream mixture. Bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 30 minutes.
- Return to a boil, uncovered. Meanwhile, whisk together yolks in a large metal bowl. Add boiling-hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then pour into saucepan. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer (do not let boil). Remove from heat and force custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean metal bowl, discarding solids. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 30 minutes.
- Freeze custard in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and harden in freezer, about 1 hour. Let soften in refrigerator 1 to 1 1/2 hours and then at room temperature 10 minutes.