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The sweetest treat you’ve been waiting for all winter long, Lavender Ice Cream is rich and creamy with a hint of spring flavor. A welcome surprise alongside all your spring pies or just enjoy by the scoop.
Lavender Ice Cream
Summer is here in the form of 90 degree temperatures and with it comes all the ice cream I can muster. Goodbye summer body….even though I haven’t seen you in years. What’s left will be filled with the cool, creaminess of this Honey Lavender Ice Cream.
I became obsessed with Lavender Ice Cream after watching “It’s Complicated” and I’ve never gone back. It’s slightly sweet with a more minty flavor than actually floral. The hint of honey and vanilla make it a delightful treat on a hot summer day.
And since some people find Lavender to be calming, you can bet some of your worries will just melt away with each sweet bite.
Ingredients You Will Need
With any great ice cream, it all starts with quality ingredients and you want to not substitute with lighter ingredients here. If you’re counting calories, just eat a little less of it.
- Whole Milk
- Half and Half
- Heavy Cream
- Sugar
- Honey
- French Lavender (culinary lavender)
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
- Egg Yolks
- Salt
What is Culinary Lavender
English lavender is extremely popular as a culinary lavender. This is commonly sold as Lavandula angustifolia, but is sometimes sold as Lavandula officinalis or Lavandula vera.
Culinary lavender is sifted multiple times so that all that remains is the lavender buds (and not leaves, stems or dried calyxes, which enclose the petals and form a protective layer around the lavender flower).
You can find culinary lavender at well stocked grocery stores, gourmet kitchen stores and online.
How To Make It
Whisk the milk, half and half, heavy cream, honey and 1/4 cup of sugar together in a saucepan.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Stir in the vanilla and lavender.
Steep for 30 minutes.
Return the pan to the heat.
Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl until pale yellow in color.
Temper the eggs by slowly whisking some of the hot cream into the eggs.
Create an ice bath by placing a larger bowl over a smaller bowl with ice water.
Slowly add the egg mixture into the cream whisking constantly.
Heat the custard mixture until slightly thickened.
Pour the custard into the empty bowl over the ice bath.
Stir in the salt.
Chill for 3 hours or overnight.
Pour into the can of an ice cream maker and churn.
Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for 4 hours before serving.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can use a slow churn method but ice cream makers are handy if you’re going to make your own ice cream a few times a year. This is one I have and I’ve owned it for over 10 years with heavy, frequent use.
What To Serve It With
We love this ice cream all on it’s own but Lavender Ice Cream is fantastic served on top of bread pudding or your favorite summer fruit pie.
You can also serve it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream with a warm pizzelle.
More Easy Ice Cream Recipes
This Lavender Vanilla Ice Cream recipe is hands down one of my absolute FAVORITE ice cream recipes….it’s right up there with this heavenly Chocolate Ice Cream and THIS insanely amazing and not at all green Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream!
We also love these fun flavors, too!
For more easy family recipe ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Lavender Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons French Lavender
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 6 large egg yolks
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the milk, half and half, cream and 1/2 cup of sugar.
- Add the lavender and vanilla to the milk mixture and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Once the mixture begins to simmer (bubbles will develop and a skin will start to form), turn the heat off and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes to an hour. If you used a vanilla bean, remove the pod from the cream mixture.
- Return the pan to the heat and warm to almost simmering.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar until it turns a pale yellow and thickens. While whisking, slowly add the warm milk mixture to the yolks, about a cup at a time.
- Create and ice bath by placing ice cubes in a large bowl and filling halfway with water. Place a medium bowl inside and top with a mesh strainer. Set aside.
- Heat the base mixture over medium-high heat stirring constantly being sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan with a heat proof spatula until steam begins to rise and the mixture thickens. Strain the mixture into the medium bowl over the ice bath and stir in the salt. Let the mixture cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least three hours or overnight.
- Pour the custard into the freezer can of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe makes no sense, you have 1/2 cup of sugar that you use with the milks. What amount of sugar are you suppose to use with the eggs if your recipe only calls for 1/2 cup of sugar? and when do you add the honey?
Hi Nelson! You’re correct….it’s definitely incorrect. The sugar should be divided so 1/4 cup with the milk and 1/4 cup in the eggs when you whisk them. The honey should be added with the milk mixture. Thank you for letting me know!
Mam/sir, ooooh myyy gosh,how BEAUTIFUL!!!JUST AMAZEING.THIS SOOO,BEAUTIFUL.I BEEN SCROLLING,TO SEE ALL DIFFERENT RECIPIES,FOR ICECREAM,HEALTHY MEALS, EVERYTHING.AND THIS ICECREAM IS ABSOLUTELY,BEAUTIFUL.ALL OF IT.THANK YOU SOOO,MUCH,FIR LETTING ME VIEW IT ALL. 5 STARZ ALWAYS.
Thank you so much!
Oooooh, I love the idea of lavender here! How delicious.
Amazing recipe! Love the subtle lavender flavor in the favorite ice cream!
It finally feels like spring (actually summer!) today and a big scoop of this fabulous lavender ice cream would be a yummy treat after dinner!
It totally would be a great dessert today!
Nice, wouldn’t expect that sort of taste from lavender but now I must try! Good call on swapping the vanilla with the white chocolate 😉
Yum!!!!!! Will have to try this!