Lavender Ice Cream (Printable)

A fragrant and creamy ice cream infused with delicate floral notes of culinary lavender, perfect for summer treats or elegant desserts.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Egg Mixture

03 - 5 large egg yolks
04 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar

→ Flavorings

05 - 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Purple food coloring (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine milk and lavender buds in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to extract floral flavors.
02 - Pour milk through a fine mesh sieve to remove lavender buds, pressing gently to maximize flavor extraction. Return infused milk to the saucepan.
03 - Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl until pale yellow and slightly thickened, creating a smooth ribbon consistency.
04 - Slowly drizzle warm lavender milk into egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously to prevent curdling and gradually raise temperature.
05 - Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon until custard thickens and coats spoon back (170°F). Avoid boiling to prevent separation.
06 - Remove from heat immediately. Stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Add food coloring drop if using for visual appeal.
07 - Pour custard through fine sieve into clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate minimum 4 hours or overnight for flavors to meld.
08 - Process chilled custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. Transfer to lidded container and freeze until firm, approximately 2-4 hours.
09 - Scoop into serving bowls. Garnish with additional lavender buds or edible flowers if desired for elegant presentation.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The subtle floral flavor creates an unexpectedly sophisticated dessert that impresses everyone
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, with most of the time being hands-off chilling
  • Perfect for dinner parties because you can make it days ahead and it actually tastes better
02 -
  • Using lavender from the garden or craft store can taste soapy and bitter, always buy culinary-grade buds
  • Overheating the custard will cause the eggs to scramble, so keep the heat low and stir constantly
  • The mixture needs to be completely cold before churning, or it won't freeze properly in your machine
03 -
  • Chill your ice cream canister in the freezer for 24 hours before using it for the firmest result
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard while chilling to prevent a skin from forming

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