Homemade Lavender Ice Cream Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat half-and-half to 175°. Remove from the heat; add lavender. Cover and steep for 20 minutes. Strain, discarding lavender., Return to the heat; stir in sugar until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches at least 160° and coats the back of a metal spoon., Remove from the heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Stir in whipping cream. Press waxed paper onto surface of custard. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight., Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer; freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. When ice cream is frozen, transfer to a freezer container; freeze for 2-4 hours before serving.

Steps:

• Bring cream, half-and-half, honey, and lavender just to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, then remove pan from heat. Let steep, covered, 30 minutes.
• Pour cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard lavender. Return mixture to cleaned saucepan and heat over moderate heat until hot.
• Whisk together eggs and salt in a large bowl, then add 1 cup hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Pour into remaining hot cream mixture in saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer, about 5 minutes (do not let boil).
• Pour custard through sieve into cleaned bowl and cool completely, stirring occasionally. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

Steps:

• In a small, heavy saucepan, combine cream, milk, sugar, and lavender. Place over medium-high heat and, with a wooden spoon, bruise and crush the herbs against the bottom and sides of pan while bringing mixture just to a boil. Remove from heat. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the lavender flavor to infuse the cream mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. Discard the lavender flowers.
• Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Gradually whisk a ladleful of the cream mixture into the eggs, then pour the eggs back into the cream mixture, whisking.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil. Transfer this mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold.
• Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
• Peppermint Ice Cream: Substitute 1/2 cup firmly packed clean, fresh peppermint leaves (1/4 cup dried) for the lavender. Proceed as above.
• Optional: The leaves won't give up much of their green color, so you can add 1 or 2 drops of red or green food coloring. Also, you can add a handful of crushed peppermint candies just 1 second, not 2, before turning off the ice cream maker.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolk and sugar together until light and foamy.
• Gently heat the milk and lavender flowers (and vanilla if using) in a pan over medium heat. Bring just to the boil, then strain into the egg yolk mixture.
• Return mixture to the stove and cook over a very low heat (do not let it boil or it will curdle), stirring constantly, until it is slightly thickened and will coat the back of a spoon.
• Pour the custard into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until completely cold.
• In a small mixing bowl that has been chilled, whip the cream just until it forms peaks; fold into the cold custard.
• Process in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, or place into a freezer-proof container and store covered, in the freezer, for up to 2 months.
• Serve decorated with sprigs of lavender, and thin, crisp cookies.

Steps:

• Warm honey with lavender in a sacuepan (for best results, use one that is not aluminum).
• Taste after 5 minutes to judge the strength of the lavender flavor; if not strong enough, heat a bit longer (lavender is a very strong flavor, so be careful).
• Heat the half-and-half with cream in a saucepan (again, one without aluminum is best).
• Break up yolks in a bowl, then whisk in some of the hot cream.
• Return the yolks and cream to the saucepan and cook at low until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
• Strain nto a covered container and blend in honey (discard the lavender).
• Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, then freeze in an ice-cream maker as per the manufacturer's instructions.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine milk, lavender, and honey. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain mixture, reserving milk and discarding lavender.
• Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, return milk to a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
• Add half the milk to egg-yolk mixture, and whisk until blended. Stir mixture into remaining milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Remove from heat, and immediately stir in cream. Strain mixture into a medium mixing bowl set in an ice-water bath, and let stand until chilled, stirring from time to time. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Store in an airtight plastic container up to 2 weeks.