Restaurant (Re)creation: Bi-Rite's Honey Lavender Ice Cream

I was surprised by how much I liked this ice cream.  I am always a sucker for cookies and cream, or vanilla bean, or something with chocolate or caramel, but wasn't so sure about an herbal ice cream.  Leave it to Bi-Rite Creamery to turn an herb into a delicious ice cream flavor.  It smells like a spa, and tastes like heaven with the perfect combination of honey and lavender.  Even though it's creamy, it somehow manages to be very refreshing and light.  In terms of ingredients, I would recommend using organic dried lavender and Strauss dairy products, if you can find them.  It's a bit of a labor of love to make, but totally worth it.  Plus, though it might not be "healthy," it totally feels like spa ice cream ; ) We can thank Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones for this fabulous recipe.

*ps. You will need an ice cream machine

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup low fat milk
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons organic dried lavender
• 5 large egg yolks

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the cream, milk, honey and salt.

Once the mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat and whisk in the lavender.  Cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and wash out the saucepan.  Return cream mixture to the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up.

Put the pan of cream and milk over medium-high heat.  When the mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium.

Carefully scoop 1/2 cup cream mixture to the bowl with the yolks, whisking the eggs constantly. Then add another 1/2 cup cream mixture and continue whisking.  Leave the remaining cream mixture
in the pan.

Now carefully pour the egg and cream mixture back into the pan with the cream and stir with a spatula.

Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of the spatula (1-2 minutes).

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container and set in an ice bath (bowl with ice water in it).  Once it is cool, remove the container, cover it, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight).

Freeze in your ice cream machine according to directions.

Enjoy right away or, for a firmer ice cream, freeze for at least 4 hours.

Bi-Rite Creamery
3692 18th Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 626-5600
biritecreamery.com