Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream
When you think of ice cream, there’s a chance the first thing that comes to mind are hot pink cotton candy swirls rolled in rainbow jimmies, or sprinkles for those among us who have never heard of a jimmie, and topped with a fluorescent red cherry. While that might be the ideal ice cream fantasy for your inner child, that’s not our ice cream. Here we have a delicious new default for your grown-up ice cream needs that can easily become the new brain screen saver for your ice cream daydreams. Vibrant macerated blueberries swirl with subtly sweet coconut and almond cream means that while it might be devoid of any artificial flashiness, this ice cream still begs to be eaten in a beautiful, warm place (but we won’t judge you if it somehow ends up in a bowl on your lap while you’re on your 8th episode of Parts Unknown on Netflix).
Our chef Jeff opted to use full fat coconut milk instead of conventional milk as our base because it mimics that rich, decadent creaminess of dairy but also contributes a subtle flavor of its own. Using honey as a sweetener with the lavender complements the floral notes of the honey, so you can get creative seeking out different honeys that were made from different blossoms (like wildflower or orange!). Jeff suggested swapping the honey with palm syrup if you’d prefer a plant-based dessert. If you’re really into experimenting, you can replace the Vanilla Extract with either Almond or Lemon Extract. Either would be a delicious substitution.
You might be skeptical of how much impact just two teaspoons of lavender might add to this dish, but don’t underestimate the potency of our amazing Culinary Lavender! Inside each teeny tiny little bud there is that incredible essential oil, and that aromatic floral flavor brightens the dish and helps distinguish between the notes of sweet blueberry and luscious coconut.
Ice cream used to be a dish reserved for royalty for hundreds of years until the 18th century, but we want you to be able to enjoy this dessert with the same amount of satisfaction and contentment- even if your throne is just a dog hair-covered sofa at 2 a.m.
- 2 Cans full fat coconut milk (coconut cream will work as well)
- ½ Cup Coconut flavored almond milk
- ⅓ Cup Honey
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Culinary Lavender
- 1 ½ Cups Blueberries
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk, almond milk, and honey and whisk until it comes to simmer. Do not boil. Place mixture in a food processor or blender, add vanilla and lavender and process 45 seconds to a minute. Pour mixture in a bowl and chill for 4 hours.
- Make blueberry syrup. Combine blueberries, and 2 Tbsp coconut sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mash blueberries with a fork and stir while cooking, for about 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate.
- After chilling 4 hours, place mixture in ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s directions.
- After churning, place half the ice cream in a pan or bowl, and add half of the blueberry mixture. Top with the other half of the ice cream, and blueberries and make a swirl using a knife or spatula. Cover and freeze 4-6 hours. Serve!
