Honey-Lavender Ice Cream

This ice cream is insanely delicious.  No really, I mean INSANELY DELICIOUS.  This ice cream tastes like a field of flowers on a sunny summer afternoon.  It takes a little extra effort, but you will be immensely rewarded for your efforts.

It is particularly good with a frangipane tart.  The combination of honey ice cream perfumed with lavender blossoms and stone fruits and almond paste is completely out of this world.

Honey-Lavender Ice Cream
makes about 1 quart

(makes about 1 quart)

1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 Tbsp dried organic lavendar blossoms (can be found at most organinc markets)
7 egg yolks
3/4 cup  organic wildflower honey
1/8 tsp salt


In a heavy medium sauce pan combine cream and half and half and lavender blossoms. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently until cream is hot, but not boiling.  Remove from heat, cover and let steep 45 minutes.  Pour cream through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth to remove lavender flowers.

Meanwhile in another large bowl combine egg yolks, honey and salt. Whisk until well combined and slightly fluffy.

While whisking the egg mixture, carefully add about 1 cup of the hot cream to temper the eggs, then return tempered eggs back to bowl of hot cream, constantly whisking until well mixed.

Place the cream/egg mixture in the microwave and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon. Return to microwave and heat on high for another minute, then stir thoroughly with wooden spoon. Repeat this step, microwaving for 1 minute, then stirring until mixture coats the back of the wooden spoon (and your finger leaves a well-defined path in the mixture when drawn across the back of the spoon). 

 Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate ice cream base overnight until cold. 

Process cold mixture in an ice cream maker until set. Transfer to a chilled container and freeze until firm (overnight).