Creamy Lemon Ice Cream with Lavender Swirl

Spring is really trying here in NYC. Sort of. Warm weather creeps in for a day, jackets come off and then the temperature drops and sweaters are put on again. It’s seesaw weather. Maddening, not just because of the schizophrenic wardrobe drama, but because meal preferences run the gamut  from warm soups to cool refreshing salads sometimes all in one day.  

I prefer to look at the bigger signs all around. The chives on my terrace in NYC are out. The daffodils, hyacinth, forsythia and tulips have all bloomed on our property in Pennsylvania. Even though I am wearing a scarf today, it’s time for a new spring ice cream flavor dammit.

Inspired by the dried version I had in my cabinet, this past weekend I bought lavender to plant so I can harvest my own. It will be a component in the edible flower garden I plan to create this summer.

Using the dried lavender I had on hand, I made syrup to swirl into the ice cream. A creamy fresh flavor. Every scoop, every mouthful tastes like spring.

Promise. 

For the Lemon Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1&1/2 cups cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions:

• Whisk the egg yolks together in a heat proof bowl and set aside.
• Heat the cream, milk and sugar together in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
• When mixture starts to become warm stir in the lemon extract and juice.
• Remove mixture just before boiling and slowly pour into the egg yolks whisking  constantly.
• Strain the mixture back into the saucepan and heat until it thickens, covering the back of a wooden spoon.
• Pour back into the bowl and stir in the lemon zest.
• Cover with plastic wrap so the wrap is touching the mixture and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
• Remove the plastic wrap,  pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• When ice cream reaches soft serve consistency, spread a layer into a plastic container, drizzle some lavender syrup on top, spread another layer of ice cream and repeat with the syrup until finished.
• Secure the cover on the container and place in the freezer for a few hours or until ready to serve.

For the Lavender Syrup:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup Dried Lavender
• purple food coloring (optional)

• Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until mixture has thickened.
• Strain out the dried lavender pieces.
• Let cool completely before transferring to a glass or plastic container for storing.