Honey Lavender Ice Cream
Honey Lavender Ice Cream is a no churn recipe made with heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, honey, vanilla, and culinary lavender. It's creamy, scoopable and a fun flavor for spring.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp dried culinary lavender buds
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz
- 1/4-1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
- purple food coloring optional
Instructions
- Add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and the dried culinary lavender buds to a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup.
- Microwave in 30 second bursts until the cream is hot and steaming but not boiling. This usually takes about 30-60 seconds total in my microwave.
- Cover the bowl and let the lavender steep in the hot cream for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor. I went with a full 10 minutes because I love lavender flavor. If you’re not sure, you could go for 5-7 minutes.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl or measuring cup. Gently press the lavender buds with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much infused cream as possible.
- Chill the lavender cream until it is completely cold again. You can pop it in the fridge or set the bowl in an ice bath to speed things up. You need cold cream so it will whip properly.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, honey, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
- Add some light purple gel food coloring to the condensed milk mixture and stir well. If the color is still too faint, add a bit. I aim for a pale lilac shade; it should look soft and airy, not bright grape.
- Pour the remaining 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream into a large mixing bowl with the chilled lavender infused cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. The cream should be thick and hold its shape when you lift the beaters.
- Add about one third of the whipped cream to the honey condensed milk mixture and gently fold with a spatula. This lightens the base.
- Add the rest of the whipped cream and fold just until no streaks remain. Take your time and use a gentle motion so you keep as much air in the mixture as possible for that ultra creamy texture.
- If you are using any add ins like shortbread crumbs, vanilla wafers, or a lemon curd swirl, gently fold or ripple them in now. For a ripple effect, spoon half the ice cream mixture into your container, dollop on some lemon curd, swirl with a knife, then repeat with the remaining ice cream.
- Transfer the ice cream base to a loaf pan or freezer safe container. Smooth the top and press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface to minimize ice crystals. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight until firm enough to scoop.
- When you are ready to serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 minutes so it softens slightly.