Description
This homemade Honey Lavender Ice Cream offers a delicate floral twist on a classic creamy dessert. Infused with dried culinary lavender and sweetened with natural honey, this ice cream boasts a rich custard base made from heavy cream, whole milk, and egg yolks. Perfectly chilled and churned to creamy perfection, it’s an elegant treat that captures the essence of lavender in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Infuse the Cream: In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, honey, and dried culinary lavender. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Then, remove it from the heat, cover with a lid, and allow the lavender to steep and infuse its flavor for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain the Lavender: After steeping, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the dried lavender buds. Discard the lavender and return the infused cream mixture to the saucepan, reheating it gently until warm for the next step.
- Prepare the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become light and slightly thickened. Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling.
- Cook the Custard: Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to let it boil, as this will curdle the custard.
- Chill the Custard: Remove the custard from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract for added flavor, then cover and refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill thoroughly.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze and Serve: Transfer the churned ice cream into a lidded container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up. Serve chilled and enjoy your lavender-infused ice cream.
Notes
- Use culinary-grade dried lavender to ensure a pleasant taste without bitterness.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the custard in a shallow container and stir every 30 minutes until firm to prevent ice crystals.
- Adjust the amount of honey according to your desired sweetness.
- For a stronger lavender flavor, increase the steeping time slightly but be careful not to over-infuse to avoid a soapy taste.
- Use pasteurized eggs if you’re concerned about raw eggs in the custard.
