Lavender honey ice cream

From Burden's Landing
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) good-flavored honey
  • 1/4 cup (8 g) dried or fresh lavender flowers
  • 1-1/2 cups (375 ml) whole milk
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1-1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream
  • 5 large egg yolks


1. Heat honey and 2 Tbsps of the lavender in a small saucepan. Once warm, remove from the heat and set aside to steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. Pour the lavender-infused honey into the cream through the strainer, pressing on the lavender flowers to extract as much flavor as possible. (Lebovitz says to discard the lavender flowers from the strainer; I say leave them in. No harm done, and maybe more flavor will flow into the cream when straining the custard through the strainer later.)

3. In a separate medium bowl (large enough to fit five yolks and about 2 cups of liquid with room to whisk), whisk together the egg yolks.

4. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan until the sugar has melted. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks mixture back into the saucepan.

5. Over medium heat, stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the remaining 2 Tbsps lavender flowers and stir until cool over an ice bath. (If you don't have ice, try using cold water & replacing often -- I'd say this would be an acceptable substitute process.)

6. Chill the mixture overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, before churning, strain the mixture, again pressing on the lavender flowers to extract their flavor. Discard the flowers, then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.