Honey Lavender Ice Cream

You know that smell when you go into a health food store or farmer's market (like Sprouts), near the lotions and beauty items aisle?  Kind of a strong, floral smell?  If you really really like that smell and wish you could have it in something to eat, this ice cream is for you.

I had seen recipes around with lavender in them, and wanted to give it a try.  When I bought my little dried lavender flowers and brought them home, after a thorough sniffing I was pretty sure it wasn't something I would enjoy in a foodstuff, but I proceeded anyway.   

This recipe is from Epicurious.   It starts out by making a custard, and really isn't difficult; and the consistency was definitely pleasing....

....this was after freezing overnight.  But it smelled and tasted more like a soap to me.  Maybe I should melt it down for Lavender Milk Bath :)

But if you are someone who enjoys that flavor, I do recommend this recipe.  Here it is for you.  

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup half-and-half

2/3 cup mild honey

2 tablespoons dried edible lavender flowers

2 large eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

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.

P.S.  I'll bet this recipe would be just dandy if you substituted some vanilla bean for the lavender.