Flower and Herb Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of my most favorite desserts. I think one of the reasons is that ice cream reminds me of summertime. Now, I know we are still a few weeks away from summer, but I just couldn't wait any longer! That is why I created this lovely ice cream. The flavors are reminiscent of early spring - they are light and lively, with an earthy density that reminds me of sodden springtime soil. Serve it with a bourbon chocolate sauce, raspberry syrup or all on its own!

What You'll Need:

3 cups of whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

¾ cup white sugar

8 egg yolks (save the whites for an omelet or something…)

2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers

2 tablespoons dried fennel seed

Red and blue food coloring (optional)

Ice Cream Maker or Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Attachment

1.   In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and yolks until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.

2.   Combine the milk, cream, lavender and fennel in a medium sized sauce pot over medium heat. Continue to stir the mixture until the milk is just below a boil.

3.   Pour the milk mixture through a sieve into a bowl to strain out the flowers and seeds. Be sure to work quickly so the mixture stays hot.

4.   Next, slowly add the milk mixture to the eggs and sugar, being sure to constantly stir the egg mixture as you pour in the milk. If you do not stir the eggs, the heat from the milk can cause the eggs to cook and curdle… not fun for anyone. Once everything is incorporated, return the mixture back to the sauce pot on medium heat and continue to stir.

5.   If you would like to color your ice cream, now would be the time. Add the red and blue until the color reaches a shade you like. Remember that once your ice cream is churned, it will appear lighter in color.

6.   Once the cream is thick enough to coat your spoon, remove it from the heat. Pour the mixture into a container with a lid and let it sit overnight or 8 hours in the refrigerator. This will give the cream a chance to rest and the flavors a chance to mellow and meld together. This is a very important step.

7.   Once the cream has sat long enough, it is time to churn it. Pour the cream into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions to churn your cream.

8.   When the cream is churned, return it to the container and freeze for at least 6 hours.

And there you have it - a delicious springtime ice cream.

Yield: About 1 quart

Lemon and Almond Tea Cake with Dandelion Glaze

My husband and I hosted a lovely Mother's Day Brunch this morning. As I was putting the menu together, I knew I wanted to serve a dessert of some sort - something light but flavorful that would satisfy our pallets with a hint of refreshing sweetness. This little cake did just that. I whipped it up in a jiff and no one could resist a second piece (see my Dandelion Jam recipe for the glaze).

What You'll Need

3/4 cup cake flour*
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons almond extract
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup Dandelion Jam

*If you do not have cake flour, substitute with 5/8 cup of all purpose flour and 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat your oven to 350. Butter and flour a loaf pan and set aside (the wider the pan, the shorter the cake).
In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and white sugar. Beat on high speed until the mixture is light in color and fluffy. Do not over-beat. Add the almond extract and 3/4 of the zest. Set aside.
Pour the flour into a small bowl and whisk. Set aside.
In another separate bowl (I know... this recipe uses a lot of bowls, but it's worth it, I promise) beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. This means that when you lift the mixer out of the whites, the peaks left behind fall over gently to one side.
Add 1/3 of the whites to the yolk batter and gently fold in. Add 1/2 of the flour to the egg mixture and fold in. Repeat this until all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let's prepare a space for the cake to rest. Place a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet.
When the cake is done, take it out the oven and run a knife along the edges. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
While the cake is cooling, we can prepare the glaze. In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine the rest of the zest, the lemon juice, jam, and brown sugar. Stir and heat until the jam has melted and the glaze is smooth.
Next, take the cake out of the pan and place it on the cooling rack. Pour the glaze over the cake, making sure every inch is covered. Let the excess glaze run off the cake onto the cookie sheet below.
Let the cake stand until the glaze has solidified.
Serve with fresh fruit.

Lavender Flower and Mint Simple Syrup

Spring is a great time to experiment with all the herbal flavors the earth has to offer. I especially love playing with flowers in the kitchen. I have always wanted to make something with lavender and this year I figured, what better way to use lavender than in a syrup? This wonderfully versatile syrup is super easy to prepare and adds a lovely refreshing and floral note to drinks, breads and desserts. Serve it over vanilla ice cream with a few lavender flowers and a mint sprig for a lovely treat.

What You'll Need:

2 cups water

2 cups white sugar

¼ cup dried lavender flowers

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

Cheese cloth

Place 1 layer of the cheesecloth in a mesh strainer. You can either place the strainer over a bowl, or to make it easier to can, place the strainer over a funnel and place the whole contraption on top of a mason jar. (See below)

Next, combine all the ingredients in a large sauce pot.

Place the saucepot over medium high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved completely. Do not let the mixture boil. This process only takes about 2 minutes.

Next, strain the mixture through the cheesecloth and into the mason jar or bowl (depending on your set up).

There you have it! You're syrup is ready to use and will keep for at least 6 months.