Dandelion Honey Ice Cream (Printable Version)
A luscious floral frozen treat combining fresh dandelion petals and honey in a creamy custard base. Ideal for spring and summer serving.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Egg Mixture
03 - 4 large egg yolks
→ Sweeteners & Flavorings
04 - 1/2 cup dandelion honey (or regular honey infused with dandelion petals)
05 - 1/2 cup (about 25 g) fresh organic dandelion petals, yellow parts only, thoroughly cleaned
06 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of sea salt
# Directions:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and whole milk. Warm over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.
02 - Stir in the fresh dandelion petals and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve to remove the petals and return the infused cream mixture to the saucepan.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the dandelion honey and sea salt until pale and creamy.
04 - Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.
05 - Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not allow it to boil.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.
07 - Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
08 - Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
09 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours until firm.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The floral sweetness tastes like eating sunshine, and nobody ever guesses it comes from ordinary dandelions.
- It sounds impossibly fancy but the technique is straightforward custard work that anyone can handle.
02 -
- The custard must chill completely before churning or you will end up with icy grainy ice cream and a sad evening.
- Never skip the straining step after steeping because even tiny bits of green stem will spread bitterness through the whole batch.
03 -
- Cook the custard on the lowest heat your stove will hold because patience here is the entire difference between silky and scrambled.
- The custard should taste slightly sweeter than you want the final ice cream, because freezing dulls sweetness considerably.