Lavender Ice Cream (Print version)

Fragrant, creamy frozen dessert infused with delicate floral lavender essence and rich custard base.

# What you'll need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Egg Mixture

03 - 5 large egg yolks
04 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar

→ Flavorings

05 - 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Purple food coloring (optional)

# Method:

01 - Combine milk and lavender buds in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to extract floral flavors.
02 - Pour infused milk through a fine mesh sieve to remove lavender buds, pressing gently to extract maximum flavor. Return strained milk to the saucepan.
03 - Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a separate bowl until mixture becomes pale yellow and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Slowly pour warm lavender milk into egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling. This gradual temperature incorporation creates a smooth custard base.
05 - Return mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon until custard thickens and coats the back of spoon (approximately 170°F). Do not let mixture boil or eggs will scramble.
06 - Remove from heat immediately. Stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract until fully combined. Add food coloring drop by drop if desired for visual appeal.
07 - Pour custard through fine sieve into clean bowl. Let cool to room temperature, then cover surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate minimum 4 hours or overnight for best results.
08 - Process chilled mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions, typically 20-25 minutes. Transfer churned ice cream to airtight container.
09 - Freeze ice cream until firm, 2-4 hours. Serve in scoops garnished with additional lavender buds or edible flowers if desired. Allow to soften 5 minutes before scooping for best texture.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The way the lavender blooms in the custard, turning something familiar into something entirely magical
  • It tastes like a sophisticated French patisserie made right in your own kitchen
02 -
  • Overheating the custard will scramble the eggs, so keep that heat low and stir constantly
  • The chilling time isn't optional, it's what develops the full lavender flavor and ensures proper freezing
03 -
  • Buy culinary lavender specifically meant for cooking, not the stuff sold for sachets or potpourri
  • Pat the strained lavender buds dry and save them for garnishing, they look beautiful on top

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