Lavender Honey Ice Cream Food

LAVENDER HONEY ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat heavy cream, half-and-half, honey, and lavender flowers in a heavy 2-quart saucepan, stirring occasionally, until cream just starts to bubble. Remove from heat and cover; let steep for 30 minutes.
• Strain cream mixture into a bowl using a fine-mesh sieve. Discard lavender flowers. Clean saucepan and pour strained cream mixture back in. Heat over medium heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk eggs and salt together in a bowl. Whisk in 1 cup hot cream in a slow stream.
• Pour egg mixture into the remaining hot cream in the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard coats the back of the spoon and reads 175 degrees F (80 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.
• Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Chill, covered, for at least 3 hours.
• Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, about 20 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and place in the freezer to firm up.

LAVENDER-HONEY ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat the honey and 2 tablespoons of the lavender; once warm, remove from the heat and set aside to steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan.
• 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; discard the lavender and set the strainer back over the cream.
• In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks; slowly pour the warm mixture (step 2 mixture) into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat 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 in the remaining 2 tablespoons lavender flowers and stir until cool over an ice bath.
• 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 manufacturer's directions.

LAVENDER-HONEY ICE CREAM

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.

LAVENDER-HONEY ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Beat the egg yolks stiff with the sugar and salt.
• Add the milk in a slow, steady stream. Stir in the honey.
• Cook the mixture lightly.
• Cool. Chill. Freeze. Garnish.

HONEY LAVENDER ICE CREAM

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.

HONEY LAVENDER ICE CREAM

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.