All Things Lavender

I really love lavender, both the color and the herb! I just posted a couple of necklaces with matching earrings in my shop (including the necklace here), made with some of my favorite lavender Swarovski crystals.

I always enjoy finding new ways to use lavender and the other herbs that I grow. A local non-profit, Three Treasures Farms, has started teaching herbal education classes as a way to help raise funds and to teach people how they can use herbs to help heal themselves and their horses. For their August Herb Walk, I made a batch of lavender ice cream to showcase another great way to use my favorite herb. Sound like something you'd like to try? 

Lavender Ice Cream
Makes 1 gallon

10 cups whole milk, divided
½- ¾ cup dried edible* lavender flowers (Amount varies depending on strength of lavender.)
1 pint heavy cream
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2t vanilla

• Bring 4 cups milk and lavender to a simmer in a large saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, then remove pan from heat. Let steep, covered, 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard lavender. 
• Return milk to a clean saucepan, add cream and heat over moderate heat until hot. 
• Whisk together eggs and salt in a large bowl, then slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. 
•  Add the egg mixture to the saucepan, stirring constantly, and cook over low heat, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 5 minutes, should reach 170-175F—don’t let it boil!) 
• Pour custard through sieve into a clean bowl and cool, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until cold.
• Gently mix custard and remaining milk in ice cream canister (add more milk to fill line, if necessary) and freeze, following the manufacturer’s instructions.  

*Make sure it hasn’t been sprayed!

Enjoy!