It's Complicated (Honey Lavender Ice Cream)

It's Complicated is one of my mom and my favorite movies.  It gets funnier every time you watch.  Seriously- try it out.  The first time I watched it, however, the only thing I could think about was: honey lavender ice cream... I MUST try this!  And so begins my relationship with home made ice cream.  I wasn't even sure if a recipe existed, but of course there was a recipe from Martha Stewart herself.

I have made this recipe several times, and it will be in my repertoire for the rest of my life.  This isn't for the faint-hearted, mind you.  If you don't have a real sweet tooth, it may be too much for you.  Just kidding... but not really, very rich!

You will need an ice cream maker for this.  And if you're like me, the first time you want to make it, you will forget that it needs to go in the freezer about 10 hours before you want to make it.  Read the instructions on your ice cream maker before tackling this... it's easy; it just takes a little planning!  Also, adjust your recipe to the amount that your ice cream maker holds (mine holds one quart).

First you will need 2 cups of whole milk, 1/4 cup dried lavender, and 1/3 cup honey.  Bring the milk, honey, and lavender to a boil (but not rolling), then take it off the heat and cover it.  It has to steep for 5 minutes.  You can find lavender at the Spice House, if you're a Chicagoan, (you can order online too!) or Whole Foods.  Also, if you can, try out some local honey.  It is SO much better than a honey bear, I promise!  You can find it at farmers' markets and local shops!

Once it has steeped for 5 minutes, strain the lavender from the milk.  In a mixing bowl combine 5 egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar.  Beat the sugar and eggs on medium high speed for about 5 minutes.  You want it to turn thick and a canary yellow.

Then put the strained milk mixture back onto the stove and heat it slowly while stirring on lower heat.  You really don't want it to burn!  Once it's warm, add half the milk to the eggs and sugar, and whisk.  Then add all of the egg mixture back to the pot on the stove.  That was confusing.  OK: heat pot of milk, add half of milk in pot to the bowl of eggs and sugar, then add all of it back to the pot with the other half of the milk.  Make sense?

This photo keeps flipping, I'm sorry I can't make it stay upright, but you get the idea!  When the mixture is on the stove, it needs to heat on low until it will coat the back of a spoon.  Stir it the whole time- you don't want scrambled eggs!

Add 1 cup of cream once it's thick and you have taken it off the heat.  Then strain it once again.  This time strain it into a bowl in a water bath.  This is a bowl inside of a larger bowl filled with ice and water.

Allow it to cool for about 30 minutes before putting it into your ice cream maker to freeze.  I keep my ice cream in the machine for 30-40 minutes.

Remember that it won't be frozen until you put it into the freezer--  after the ice cream maker does its work-- to really hard freeze.  Make sure you put it into a storage container when you transfer it to the freezer.  Let it freeze for a couple of hours and then you'll have the richest, sweetest, most incredible ice cream you've ever tasted!  After you make some, call me and I'll come eat your ice cream and watch It's Complicated with you!

Honey Lavender Ice Cream
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup dried lavender
1/3 cup honey
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup honey
1 cup heavy cream