Lavender Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Lavender Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream – Rich, creamy, and fragrant Lavender Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe. Lt. Dan’s absolute favorite ice cream recipe, hands down!
Lavender Ice Cream with Fresh Herbs
We’re making Lavender Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream today, fresh and fragrant!
If there is anything I love to shop for, it’s fresh herbs.
I’m often found standing in the produce department (or at the farmer’s market) with bouquets of greenery under my nose, placidly inhaling their intoxicating scent.
I kneel amongst my flowerbeds tenderly rubbing their leaves between my fingers, to accentuate the earthy perfume.
I can’t wait, until my beds are full of mint, basil, thyme, dill, and lavender. In my mind, no dish is complete without a fresh aromatic herb!
Homemade Ice Cream Recipe
Lavender is an herb that comes and goes in culinary popularity. Known for its piney, yet floral essence, it’s considered a wonderful accompaniment to mild proteins like chicken and fish.
Personally, I think lavender deserves a little more credit. Its flavor may be subtle at first, but has an accumulative quality that can hold its own against strong flavors like lemon, or even chocolate.
In today’s Lavender Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe, I’ve paired lavender with dark chocolate for a surprisingly balanced and bewitching frozen treat!
This Lavender Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream puts most mint chip ice creams to shame, and is a pleasant departure from your everyday freezer-aisle flavors.
What Ingredients You Will Need
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dried lavender buds, or 4 tablespoons fresh chopped lavender
- 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1-2 drops of purple food coloring, optional
- 4 ounces dark chocolate bar
Note: No eggs or egg yolk is needed in this recipe!
How to Make Lavender Ice Cream
Pour the cream, half-and-half, sugar, and salt into a medium saucepan. Place the pot over medium heat until it comes to a low simmer.
If using a vanilla bean, cut the bean down the center lengthwise. Carefully open the bean and scrape out the paste. Add the buds and vanilla paste to the cream mixture. Stir; then remove from heat and cover. *Add a drop or two of food coloring if you want to enhance the lavender color.
Place the covered pot in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to cool. (If you’re in a hurry, place it in an airtight container and put it in the freezer for 1 hour until thoroughly chilled, but NOT frozen!)
Once the ice cream base mixture is chilled, strain out the lavender buds and pour into an ice cream maker. Churn for 20+ minutes until the desired consistency is reached.
Meanwhile, chop the chocolate bar into fine shards for your mix-ins. Add the chocolate to the ice cream maker. Churn until the chocolate is evenly distributed. Serve immediately or put in an airtight container and freeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this ice cream last?
You can keep this ice cream in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let the container sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes to soften a bit before you scoop it with an ice cream scoop and serve it in a bowl or waffle cone.
What other lavender recipes do you have?
Here are three additional lavender recipes: Lavender Lemon Tom Collins, French Lavender Lemonade, and Creamy Lavender Flan.
Are there any benefits to eating this lavender ice cream flavor?
You can put lavender in many different recipes. Some benefits that people have noticed when increasing their lavender intake are relief from migraines, help to regulate sleep cycles, or some improvement in your hair and skin’s health.
Other Great Dessert Recipes
- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
- Coconut Milk Churn Ice Cream (Dairy Free)
- 4-Ingredient Avocado Vegan Ice Cream
- Banana Pudding Milkshake with Fresh Bananas
- Raspberry Sweet Buns
- Caramel Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
- Homemade Caramel Sauce Whipped Cream by The Travel Palate
- Peanut Butter Custard Base Ice Cream by Ice Cream From Scratch
- Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream by A Latte Food
Lavender Dark Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dried lavender buds, or 4 tablespoons fresh chopped lavender
- 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1-2 drops purple food coloring, optional
- 4 ounces dark chocolate bar
Instructions
- Pour the cream, half-and-half, sugar, and salt into a medium sauce pot. Place the pot over medium heat until it comes to a low simmer.
- If using a vanilla bean, cut the bean down the center lengthwise. Carefully open the bean and scrape out the paste. Add the buds and vanilla paste to the cream mixture. Stir; then remove from heat and cover. *Add a drop or two of food coloring if you want to enhance the lavender color.
- Place the covered pot in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to cool. (If you’re in a hurry, place it an airtight container and put in the freezer for 1 hour until thoroughly chilled, but NOT frozen!)
- Once the mixture is chilled, strain out the lavender buds and pour into an ice cream maker. Churn for 20+ minutes until the desired consistency is reached.
- Meanwhile, chop the chocolate bar into fine shards. Add the chocolate to the ice cream maker. Churn until the chocolate is evenly distributed. Serve immediately or put in an airtight container and freeze.
What a fun alternative to mint chocolate chip (or regular chocolate chip) ice cream. I love the color and can only imagine the lovely floral flavor of this ice cream.
This looks amazing. i love how creative you are with this combo. thank you for sharing this with us and have a great weekend.
Sommer, this is probably one of the most creative flavors of ice cream I have seen in a long time. It looks and sounds amazing. I have not cooked much with lavender myself, but this recipe has inspired me to give it a try.
looks just stunning – i just love your combination of flavors! i recently made a stuffed crust flatbread inspired by your recent veggie flatbread – i made it my own with the use of indian flavors. http://oureyeseatfirst.blogspot.com Thanks for sharing!
o my, it lookssssssssss awesome, bookmarked !
My friend introduced me recently to a dark chocolate and lavender bar, I bet it would be a great addition to this ice cream too!
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OH sweeeeet goodness, this sounds fabulous!! Now ALL I want is ice cream, thanks ;) Love this combo of flavors!!
Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls
your ice cream yells Summer.
i’m anxious too to have my herbs in from of the house. can’t wait.
have a wonderful Friday Sommer
I didn’t know I was craving ice cream until I saw this. What an amazing, original idea. I LOVE it.
Oh Sommer! Delicious combination, I loved the idea. Must smell fantastic too.
Today I asked my husband to trim a bit my tomato plant, when I went outside ( 5 minutes later) there was nothing else in the vase. “MURDERER”. He spent the whole day saying he was sorry. I’m still mad….lol. Have a great weekend
It’s amazing how fast time has flown! It’s already about time for ice cream!! I love this one. It’s got a great color and lavendar is so wonderful. Lavendar and rosemary shortbread might be a good pairing =)
Cheers.
This is so unique! I want to plant lavender this year. I do NOT have a green thumb, but I at least try to keep my herbs alive!
Boy, does this look fabulous…the color, the taste, the added chocolate! Wonderful~
lovely flavour for ice cream delicious
This sounds so delicious! I love the combination of chocolate and lavander!
I love everything about this post! Lavender is my most favorite thing…I’ve been dying to try ice cream. You’ve inspired me! Beautiful pictures.
Sommer, your ice cream is always make me melt… It looks so delicious! I love the smell of lavender. I have a nice plant just outside my back door.