Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Whole Milk
  • 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
  • ¾ cup Granulated White Sugar (divided)
  • 2 Tablespoons Culinary Grade Dried Lavender Buds
  • 5 Large Egg Yolks
  • 2 Tablespoons Honey (Runny, light-coloured)
  • ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste (or extract)

Instructions:

  1. Combine and Scald: In a saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, half of the sugar (about 75g), and the lavender buds. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to simmer around the edges (do not boil).
  2. Steep: Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and let the lavender steep for 30 minutes. This allows the flavour to fully infuse.
  3. Prepare Yolks: While the cream is steeping, whisk the egg yolks, the remaining sugar, and the salt in a heatproof bowl until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.
  4. Strain and Reheat: Strain the lavender cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve directly back into the saucepan, pressing lightly on the buds. Discard the lavender. Reheat the strained cream gently until it is steaming hot again.
  5. Temper the Eggs: Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This crucial step prevents the eggs from scrambling.
  6. Return to Pan: Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the remaining hot cream in the saucepan.
  7. Cook to Thickness: Cook the custard over low heat, stirring continuously. The custard is ready when it coats the back of the spatula (the nappe test). Do not allow it to boil.
  8. Strain and Flavour: Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the honey and vanilla. Pour the entire mixture through the fine-mesh sieve one final time into a clean bowl to ensure an ultra-smooth consistency.
  9. Chill Completely: Cover the bowl (place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin) and refrigerate until the mixture is completely cold—at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.
  10. Churn: Once fully chilled, churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions (usually 20–30 minutes) until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
  11. Harden (Ripen): Transfer the soft ice cream into an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for a minimum of 4 hours to allow it to fully harden before serving.