Description
A delicate and aromatic Honey Lavender Ice Cream recipe that combines creamy custard with floral notes of lavender and natural sweetness from honey. Perfect for a refreshing homemade dessert infused with subtle purple hues.
Ingredients
Scale
Dairy and Liquid Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A few drops of purple food coloring (optional)
Herbs and Flavorings
- 1/4 cup dried lavender buds
Egg and Sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Infuse Milk and Cream: In a saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, honey, and dried lavender buds. Heat gently over medium heat until the mixture reaches a simmer. Remove from heat and allow the lavender to steep for 20 minutes to infuse flavor. Strain the mixture to remove lavender buds, setting the infused milk mixture aside.
- Prepare Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened. This step ensures a smooth custard base.
- Temper Eggs: Gradually pour the warm milk and cream infusion into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously to prevent the eggs from curdling. This tempers the eggs and incorporates the flavors evenly.
- Cook Custard: Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 8 minutes. Avoid boiling to prevent curdling. Remove from heat, then stir in vanilla extract and optional purple food coloring to enhance appearance.
- Chill Custard: Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to cool completely and develop flavor.
- Churn 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 to a freezer-safe container and freeze for an additional 2 hours to firm up before serving. Scoop and enjoy your homemade honey lavender ice cream.
Notes
- Use high-quality dried lavender buds labeled for culinary use to ensure safety and flavor quality.
- Tempering the eggs is crucial to avoid scrambled eggs in your custard.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the custard and stir every 30 minutes to break up ice crystals for a smoother texture.
- The optional purple food coloring is for visual appeal and can be omitted if you prefer natural color.
- For a stronger lavender flavor, increase steeping time but be cautious of bitterness.
