Lavender Ice Cream

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 6 sprigs lavender (about 8cm long) or 4 tablespoons dried lavender blossoms
• 280 ml full-fat milk
• 4 medium egg yolks
• 90 g caster sugar
• 284 ml double cream

Recipe

• 1 chop lavender into 1cm pieces and place into heavy-bottomed saucepan with milk.
• 2 heat until just below boiling (don't let it boil...), remove and cool.
• 3 when cold, put in fridge overnight to allow flavour to infuse.
• 4 next day!
• 5 rewarm milk and lavender (don't let it boil...), and strain.
• 6 beat together the yolks and sugar and slowly add to warmed milk, stirring all the time.
• 7 put mixture into clean, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir over low heat until custard thickens enough to coat back of a wooden spoon.
• 8 do not let it boil!
• 9 leave to cool.
• 10 strain custard through sieve lined with muslin-like cloth.
• 11 if you have an ice-cream maker: stir the cream into the custard, transfer to ice-cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.
• 12 if you don't have an ice-cream maker: lightly whip the cream and fold into custard.
• 13 pour into a shallow, freezerproof container, cover with greaseproof paper and freeze for about 30 minutes.
• 14 repeat three more times, or until the ice cream is set.
• 15 store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks (if you can control yourself that long!).