SERVES 4
This could quite possibly be my all-time favourite ice cream. The delicate lavender with the fragrant honey is a truly magical combination. Close your eyes and you might just find yourself sitting in the sunshine in a lavender field in Provence.
INGREDIENTS
40g (2 tbsp) raw sugar
400g (400ml) milk
125g (1/2 cup) pouring (pure) cream
4 egg yolks
60g (2 tbsp) honey
2 tbsp culinary dried lavender (see Tips)
PREPARATION
1. Place all ingredients into a heavy-based saucepan and stir until combined. Cook over a low-medium heat (do not boil), stirring, for 20 minutes or until thickened slightly. Transfer mixture into a heat-proof jug and set aside for 10 minutes to infuse, gently stirring occasionally.
2. Strain mixture into ice cube trays. Place into freezer overnight or until frozen solid.
3. Place frozen cubes into a food processor or high-powered blender and process until smooth and creamy. If needed, pause processing to scrape down sides with a spatula.
4. Serve immediately or, if ice cream is too soft for your liking, transfer into a freezable container and place into freezer until desired consistency is achieved (see Tips).
TIPS
Culinary dried lavender can be purchased from some specialty food shops and gourmet grocers. A particularly sweet and fragrant variety of lavender (such as Lavandula angustifolia) is generally selected for culinary use, so if you have lavender growing in your garden, it may not be suitable.
If the ice cream becomes too firm to scoop, place it into the refrigerator or on the kitchen bench until it has thawed to your desired softness before serving. You may wish to store all frozen desserts in individual portions, as refreezing thawed leftovers can be a safety hazard.