Description
This homemade Lavender Ice Cream is a delicately floral and creamy dessert crafted with a traditional custard base infused with dried culinary lavender. Perfectly balanced with the sweetness of sugar and the warmth of vanilla, this French-inspired recipe offers a refreshing treat ideal for summer. The ice cream is steeped, carefully tempered, cooked to a smooth custard, chilled, and churned to create a luscious, silky texture with a subtle aromatic twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a small pinch of salt
Instructions
- Steep Lavender: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, and dried lavender. Heat over medium heat until just steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse the floral flavor.
- Strain Mixture: Strain the lavender-infused liquid through a fine mesh sieve to remove the buds, then return the liquid to the saucepan to prepare for custard making.
- Whisk Egg Yolks and Sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar until the mixture is pale and thickened slightly, which will help create a creamy custard.
- Temper Eggs: Slowly pour a small amount of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
- Cook Custard: Gradually add the tempered eggs back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (reaching about 170°F to 175°F). Avoid boiling to maintain a smooth texture.
- Add Flavorings: Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt to enhance flavor.
- Chill: Let the custard mixture cool slightly before covering it and refrigerating for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to thoroughly chill and develop flavor.
- Churn Ice Cream: Once chilled, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions to aerate and freeze the ice cream.
- Freeze Before Serving: Transfer the churned ice cream to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to set the texture perfectly.
Notes
- Only use culinary-grade dried lavender as some varieties are not edible and may cause bitterness.
- Taste the infused base after steeping to ensure the floral flavor is balanced and adjust the amount of lavender if necessary.
- This ice cream pairs beautifully with honey or lemon-based desserts for complementary flavors.
