I had no idea how amazing this would be when I started making this. Sure, I can pretty well tell how something will turn out by reading a recipe or when I start to mix something, and I did think this would be good (which is why I went to the trouble to make it).. but I had no idea HOW good it would be. I made it for a tea party last year and everyone loved it as much as I do. I love the warmth from the lavender, and… I dunno, it’s just plain delicious. You’re just going to have to trust me. : ) And ps. yes, this does require a few steps, but they are simple steps. And you can make the mixture the day before, then freeze it the next day. And the day after that, well, you’ll just wish you had some left.
HONEY LAVENDER ICE CREAM
makes about 1 quart
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lavender flowers (dried or fresh)
1 1/2 cups whole milk (I have made this with fat free as well)
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
Heat the honey with 2 T of the lavender in a small pot until warm.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Put the cream in a large bowl and set a fine mesh strainer on top.
Pour the lavender-honey into the cream, straining out the lavender.
Push the lavender against the strainer to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard lavender. Set bowl of cream aside.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium pot.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Add a ladle of the warm milk, whisking in, then slowly add the rest of the warm milk to the egg yolks.
Return to pot and stir constantly over medium heat, until mixture thickens slightly. Pour through strainer into cream.
Add remaining 2 T lavender and stir over an ice bath until cool.
Chill mixture overnight in the fridge.
Strain mixture again, pressing the lavender to extract flavor.
Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to your maker’s directions. If desired, garnish with a couple of dried lavender flowers.
Recipe source: “The Perfect Scoop” by David Lebovitz
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup lavender flowers (dried or fresh)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (I have made this with fat free as well)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 5 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Heat the honey with 2 T of the lavender in a small pot until warm.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Put the cream in a large bowl and set a fine mesh strainer on top.
- Pour the lavender-honey into the cream, straining out the lavender.
- Push the lavender against the strainer to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard lavender. Set bowl of cream aside.
- Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium pot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Add a ladle of the warm milk, whisking in, then slowly add the rest of the warm milk to the egg yolks.
- Return to pot and stir constantly over medium heat, until mixture thickens slightly. Pour through strainer into cream.
- Add remaining 2 T lavender and stir over an ice bath until cool.
- Chill mixture overnight in the fridge.
- Strain mixture again, pressing the lavender to extract flavor.
- Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to your maker’s directions. If desired, garnish with a couple of dried lavender flowers.
