It was amazingly fortuitous that one of my students brought me some recipes this past Thursday, including one for Lavender Ice Cream! Little did she know that our front sidewalk is lined with huge lavender plants, full of blossoms, bees, and fabulous lavende
r fragrance.
r fragrance. Saturday afternoon when I told John Alexander about my plans for making this recipe, he jumped in to help. In addition to gathering lavender, he shot photos and retrieved the beautiful, multicolored eggs that our friend, Melissa, had brought us from Blacksburg. He separated yolks from whites while I trimmed and washed the lavender blossoms. Aroma from the steeping flowers filled the house as we cooked the custard, cooled it and churned it into some of the most delicious ice cream that we had ever tasted. Now, yo
u may be thinking that Lavender Ice Cream is one of the weirdest concoctions that could be imagined. Wait until you hear what we made to serve with it!
u may be thinking that Lavender Ice Cream is one of the weirdest concoctions that could be imagined. Wait until you hear what we made to serve with it! In case you are the adventuous sort, here is the recipe for our ice cream creation....
LAVENDER ICE CREAM
INGREDIENTS
7 ½ cups whole milk
3 vanilla beans, split OR 2 tablespoons Neilson-Massey Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
1 cup lavender flowers, fresh or dried, tied in a cheesecloth bag
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup local honey
9 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
A handful of extra fresh or dried lavender blossoms (blossom only…not the pod)
DIRECTIONS
Scald the milk; then add the vanilla beans (or add vanilla) and the lavender bag. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Remove the lavender bag. Beat the sugar, honey, and egg yolks together. Add the milk, a half cup at a time to egg mixture until both milk mixture and egg mixture are blended thoroughly. Heat the mixture in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat until it coats the back of wooden spoon and wisps of steam appear. Do not boil. When custard is sufficiently heated, leave to cool. Mixture can sit overnight in the refrigerator. Stir in cream and extra lavender blossoms. Put chilled custard into ice cream freezer and churn until firm.
7 ½ cups whole milk
3 vanilla beans, split OR 2 tablespoons Neilson-Massey Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
1 cup lavender flowers, fresh or dried, tied in a cheesecloth bag
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup local honey
9 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
A handful of extra fresh or dried lavender blossoms (blossom only…not the pod)
DIRECTIONS
Scald the milk; then add the vanilla beans (or add vanilla) and the lavender bag. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Remove the lavender bag. Beat the sugar, honey, and egg yolks together. Add the milk, a half cup at a time to egg mixture until both milk mixture and egg mixture are blended thoroughly. Heat the mixture in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat until it coats the back of wooden spoon and wisps of steam appear. Do not boil. When custard is sufficiently heated, leave to cool. Mixture can sit overnight in the refrigerator. Stir in cream and extra lavender blossoms. Put chilled custard into ice cream freezer and churn until firm.
1 comment:
This recipe sounds interesting. Did it taste as good as it sounds?
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