Description
This Lavender Ice Cream is a delicate and floral homemade treat perfect for summer. Infused with culinary-grade dried lavender and combined with a creamy custard base, it offers a unique and refreshing flavor that pairs wonderfully with lemon cakes, berries, or shortbread cookies. The recipe involves steeping lavender in warm milk, tempering egg yolks to create a silky custard, and churning the mixture in an ice cream maker for a smooth and creamy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Infuse Lavender: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and dried culinary lavender. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and allow the lavender to steep for 15–20 minutes to infuse the milk with its delicate flavor.
- Strain Mixture: Use a fine mesh sieve to strain out the lavender from the milk, returning the infused milk to the saucepan. This ensures a smooth base free of lavender bits.
- Prepare Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks vigorously until they become pale and thick, creating a custard base.
- Temper Eggs: Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm lavender-infused milk into the whisked egg yolks while continuously whisking. This gradual mixing prevents the eggs from curdling by gently raising their temperature.
- Combine and Cook: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
- Add Cream and Flavor: Remove the saucepan from heat, then stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract to enrich the custard.
- Chill Custard: Transfer the custard mixture to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. This step is crucial for proper texture when churning.
- Churn: Once chilled, pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze Until Firm: Transfer the churned ice cream to a container and freeze for several hours until firm before serving.
Notes
- Use culinary-grade lavender to ensure the flavor is food-safe and not overly bitter.
- For a lighter lavender flavor, reduce the dried lavender to 1 tablespoon.
- This ice cream complements desserts like lemon cakes, fresh berries, or buttery shortbread cookies perfectly.
