Lavender Ice Cream

Aug 22 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

HOMEMADE ice cream is the perfect summer treat, but for a twist on the seasonal classic, Gold Top milk reveals two deliciously different recipes using fresh herbs.

Tasty and also easy to make, these unusual desserts can be recreated at home without any need for an ice cream maker.

Gold Top milk is produced by a British dairy farmers’ co-operative from their pedigree Jersey and Guernsey herds.

The quality of the milk produced by these pure bred cows is unsurpassed.

(Serves 6-8)

INGREDIENTS –

600ml (1 pint)

Gold Top milk.

10 sprigs of fresh

lavender.

4 medium egg

yolks.

175g (6oz) runny

honey.

284ml pot double

cream.

METHOD –

1 Heat the milk until it starts to bubble round the edges, add the lavender sprigs and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.

2 Whisk the egg yolks and honey until thick. Strain milk into the bowl and mix.

3 Pour the mixture back into the pan over a gentle heat and stir to make a smooth custard which coats the back of a wooden spoon. Strain again, into a large bowl and leave to cool at room temperature, then in the fridge.

4 Whip the cream and fold it into the custard. Put the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the instructions. Or pour it into a plastic container and freeze until the sides begin to set then remove from the freezer and beat well. Freeze again until almost frozen then beat it smooth again and return, covered, to the freezer.

5 Take the container out of the freezer and put in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving, to let it soften.

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS –

25-30g (1 oz) basil

leaves and stalks.

90g (3oz) caster

sugar.

3 egg yolks.

300ml (1/2pint)

Gold Top milk.

284 ml pot of

double cream.

Raspberries and

extra basil leaves, to serve with it.

METHOD – 1 Put the bunch of basil and sugar into food processor and whiz until basil is finely chopped and sugar turns green!

2 Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl until thick and creamy.

3 Warm the milk then whisk it into the egg mixture. Strain the mixture back into the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not let it boil. Pour into a chilled bowl and leave to cool.

4 When custard is cold, whip the cream and fold it in. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze the mixture in a shallow tub until half frozen, take it out and stir it well, freeze again until solid.

5 Take the container out of the freezer and put into the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving, to let it soften.