Nothing says summer like homemade lavender ice cream! I saw this recipe and lost my ability to even. I remember once when I went to a lavender farm in the South and experienced uber-refreshing, homemade lavender lemonade. Sipping that stuff on a hot July day in a rocking chair on the front porch of the farmhouse seemed like a dream at the time. As it turns out, homemade lavender ice cream is an equally yummy treat to beat the heat. (I’m a poet and I didn’t realize it!) Combine red and blue food dye to add a special splash of color to this cool dessert.
Yields about 3/4 quart
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons lavender buds
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
red + blue food dye to color (optional)
First begin heating up the milk with the lavender buds for 5-6 minutes over low/medium heat. You don’t really want the milk to start boiling, but you do want to seep/infuse the lavender flavor into the milk. Taste a small spoonful and—when ready—strain the buds out of the milk and return the milk to the heat.
Combine the sugar with the lavender. Whisk together and warm over low heat. In another bowl whisk together the egg yolks. Pour a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture in with the egg yolks and stir. Once the egg yolk mixture is tempered add it to the pot of warm milk. Whisk to combine. Continue cooking over low/medium heat until it thickens. Turn the heat off and remove the pot from the burner, add in the whipping cream. Stir to combine. Add food coloring if you want your ice cream to be a little more purple. Pour into an air tight container and refrigerate overnight. Pour in to your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer directions for use.
Source: A Beautiful Mess
Photos via A Beautiful Mess
