Lavender Ice Cream

Lavender home-made ice cream is very rich so plan to save room for dessert. Photo by Arlie Sommer

This was one of the first recipes I made with herbs almost 30 years ago when we first started Purple Sage Farms. Tim was doing a “Cooking with Herbs” demonstration at a Boise kitchen and gift shop and needed a recipe to share. It’s since been a family favorite at birthdays and summer holiday gatherings. Indeed, I made 6 gallons of lavender ice cream for our daughter Arlie’s wedding at the farm a few years back. We served it atop a rhubarb cobbler.

The recipe below yields about 2 quarts.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

4 egg yolks

¾ cups sugar

2 tbsp dried lavender

Note: Sub crushed dried mint or lemon verbena, or use 4 tbsp of chopped fresh mint or lemon verbena. I do not recommend using fresh lavender buds.

DIRECTIONS

Step 1

Heat the cream and milk to almost a boil. Remove the mixture from the heat, add lavender buds only, and steep about five minutes, or longer if you want a stronger flavor. Strain the lavender buds before adding the egg mixture below.

Step 2

While the lavender steeps, beat the egg yolks with sugar.

Step 3

Add the egg yolk mixture slowly into the hot cream mixture, a little at a time, whisking as you add. Bring the mixture back to medium heat and cook until the mixture coats the spoon; then remove the pot from the heat and cool.

Step 4

After the pot has cooled, chill the the pot in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or make the day ahead and keep chilled before making into ice cream.

Step 5

Add the chilled mixture to your ice cream device or even tin cans if you’re going old fashioned. Churn and finish according to the manufacturer instructions.