Lavender Honey Ice Cream

On our trip to Nice, France we were so pleased to find out that they have a Flower Market 6 days a week.  In addition to the flowers there is a farmer's market with the best cheeses, breads, meats, fruits and herbs.  I found vendors that sold dried lavender and lavender honey.  These ingredients are also locally found on Long Island at Lavender By the Bay in East Marion.   I decided to take these two ingredients, bring them home and make an ice cream.  The flavors are unique and very different from other flavors you have had but it is a very summer-y ice cream that is refreshing.  Try this recipe.  This recipe is for the 1.5 quart Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.  I used local organic cream and milk but you can use your favorite type.

Ingredients:

2 cups milk, whole or 2%
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup dried lavender (less if you want a milder flavor)
2/3 cup lavender honey, or plain if you have it, local preferred
pinch salt
5 egg yolks, local organic preferred

Here's how:

Place the ice cream bowl into the freezer.

Combine everything except the egg yolks into a medium sized pot and heat it to almost a boil, when the bubbles just begin to appear around the edge of the pot.

Milk and cream

Lavender and Honey from Nice

1/4 cup lavender

Lavendar added to the milk and cream

Lavender Honey

Everything into the pot

Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes to get the flavor of the lavender into the milk.

Removed from the heat and steeping

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks for 2-3 minutes until combined, fluffy and air is incorporated.

Beautiful fresh egg yolks.

Whisked and ready to incorpotate

Place the milk back onto the heat.

Remove 1/3 of the mixture and add it to the egg yolks, whisking while you add.  This is called tempering the eggs.  You want to slowly bring the eggs to the temperature of the milk without scrambling them.

Hot milk added to eggs

Add the milk and egg mixture into the pot and cook until thick but do not boil this.  Stir constantly.  This takes 10-15 minutes.

Eggs added to milk and cream

Thickening

Done

Place a sieve over a bowl and pour the mixture through the sieve the remove the lavender and any egg pieces.

Lavender removed

Ice cream base is done.  The yellow color comes from the egg yolks

 Place plastic wrap on top of the bowl with the ice cream base, with the plastic touching the top of it.  This will prevent a skin from forming.

Ready for the fridge

Place the ice cream base into the refrigerator overnight or 8 hours.  You need this to be as cold as possible before churning.

Set up the ice cream maker and pour in the ice cream base.

Machine set up

Ice cream base after sitting overnight

Base poured in

Churn for 20-25 minutes until thick.

Halfway there

Done.

 Remove the ice cream from the machine and place it in a freezer safe bowl.

Ready for the freezer

Place the bowl into the freezer for at least 4 hours, overnight is best, until the ice cream is hard. 

Serve.