This story starts with tea—an herbal tea. It’s one I became acquainted with earlier this year, quite by accident. But one taste, and it’s become a fragrant favorite. I grow both lavender and chamomile in my garden, and every time I brush by either plant, I breathe in the heavenly scent that wafts upward to me.
The combination of lavender and chamomile is so soothing. I know many nerves are raw these days, and now I have a delicious solution. This combination of herbs makes a marvelous tea and an even better ice cream. ’Tis the season!
As someone who has had some practice making ice cream from infusions, this was a no-brainer. So I broke down and tried it.
I decided to make this one lighter, using half-and-half and whole milk, knowing it would work, though it’s probably more like an ice milk than an ice cream. As much as I love rich ice cream, making something lighter is just as nice.
I really like this flavor, and I couldn’t resist trying it floated in a glass of lavender soda. It’s a mega dose of floral flavor! It also makes a killer affogato, as lavender pairs exceptionally well with coffee.
You don’t have to grow either of these plants to enjoy this treat, as both chamomile and lavender are available online, or possibly in tea bags or in bulk at local stores.
Note: You will need an ice cream freezer for this recipe.
Lavender-Chamomile Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half-&-half
- 1 Tbsp dried chamomile flowers
- 1 Tbsp dried culinary lavender
- 3 egg yolks (save the whites for meringue)
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup white sugar
Begin by infusing the day before; stir the chamomile and lavender flowers into a saucepan with the half-&-half and bring to just under a boil. You will see steam rising from the pan, and that’s about how hot you want it. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate the infusion overnight.
The next day, strain the flowers through a sieve into a saucepan, squeezing out all the liquid, then discard the flowers.
Place the infused half-&-half, milk, egg yolks, honey, and sugar into the saucepan and whisk together over medium-high heat. Continue to stir (you can switch to a wooden spoon) continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 5-10 minutes. If you run your finger across the coated spoon, the line should stay.
Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least eight hours or overnight. Once chilled, run through the ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a container and allow to freeze further before scooping. Makes about 6 servings.
You can make a delicious float by adding a scoop to a glassful of lavender soda!
This also makes a heavenly affagato.
