Happy Friday evening to you here on the West Coast. Oh, do I have a “sweet” ice cream recipe for you! It’s been really HOT here and we are craving extremely cold sweets at this time. So, how about a creamy lavender ginger ice cream made up of hints of ginger pieces, and lavender aromas? You can say this is our homemade gourmet ice cream indeed.

It is officially the lavender cutting season for us! We have been making our beautiful lavender bouquets and many locals are reaching out to order! Can you imagine how many happy bees we have? They love to swarm around our beautiful lavender plants. Here is a video of our flowers so you can virtually come enjoy with us. 

Tiktok video created with music by Simpler Times- Vincent Tone. 

KAREN’S LAVENDER VANILLA GINGER ICE CREAM RECIPE

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 14 oz milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh lavender flowers 
• 2 oz crystallized ginger – chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups cold Heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla powder

1. In a heavy saucepan, slowly heat milk to approximately 200 F.  Remove from heat and add lavender.  Allow steeping for 15 minutes.
2. Strain milk through cheesecloth while warm. 
3. Add crystallized ginger, sugar, and vanilla to milk. 
4. Place egg yolks into a bowl.  Add half the saucepan mixture into the bowl and blend.
5. Stir the mixture and pour it back into your saucepan.  Put the saucepan on low heat and cook until the mixture is about 200 F. 
6. Add the 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and put in the refrigerator until very well chilled.  Finish processing in any type of ice cream machine.  Garnish with a few fresh mild-tasting lavender flowers.

Karen’s Tips:

• My mom’s suggestion is to use an English or Provence lavandin variety. 
• Ginger and lavender really compliment each other and you can always use lemon too. 
• For those who are new to using lavender in cooking, LESS IS MORE when it comes to lavender.  For a less lavendery taste, use 1/8 cup lavender.  Using too much lavender can make whatever you are preparing taste soapy. 

If you are looking for unique and organic lavender products please check out our website here. We make all of our own products using the flowers we grow.