Lavender Ice Cream
(Makes 10 servings)
Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar
¼ cup honey
3 whole fresh lavendar tops (each about 5 inches long)
2 tablespoons dried lavendar; or ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, bruised
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Fresh lavendar buds (optional)
Instructions:
In a heavy medium saucepan cook milk over medium heat till hot but not boiling. Remove from heat; stir in sugar, honey, and lavender or mint. Cover and steep till mixture has cooled to room temperature (45 to 60 minutes). Strain milk mixture; discard lavender or mint.
Freeze ice cream mixture in a 2-quart ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer frozen ice cream to a clean freezer container with a tight-fitting lid; pack down with a spoon. Freeze for at least 4 hours or for up to 1 month. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve the ice cream with fresh raspberries and sprinkle it with lavender buds, if you like.