Lavender Ice Cream Recipe

I turned ripe blackberries and a touch of culinary lavender into Lavender Ice Cream with a subtly purple hue that you can make at home without an ice cream machine.

I grew up chasing summer flavors and I still daydream about Lavender Ice Cream. And even now the memory of dried culinary lavender buds hitting the air makes me stop.

The floral note is bright but not fragile, it sits with the tart, almost wild sweet blackberries to create a scoop that feels slightly strange and totally irresistible. The pale purple is shy but it makes people look twice, like there is a secret in the bowl.

I keep coming back to it, imagining different spoons and moments, because this is the kind of dessert that keeps asking for another taste.

Ingredients

• Heavy whipping cream: high in fat, gives silky texture, few proteins, calorie dense
• Sweetened condensed milk: super sweet, lots of carbs and sugar, adds creamy sweetness and body
• Whole milk: adds some protein and lactose, lightens base, gentle dairy flavor, helps freezing
• Dried culinary lavender buds: floral aroma not nutritive, can be slightly bitter if overused, fragrant
• Blackberries: tart sweet, good fiber and vitamin C, add natural purple color and texture
• Lemon juice: brightens flavor, adds acidity and freshness, small vitamin C boost, balances sweetness
• Vanilla extract: adds warm scent and rounds flavors, no nutrients but enhances perceived sweetness

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 (14 oz / 396 g) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (about 150 to 180 g)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (for the berries)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch of fine sea salt
• optional a few drops purple gel food coloring (if you want a stronger purple)

How to Make this

1. Warm the whole milk in a small saucepan until it’s hot but not boiling, remove from heat, add the dried lavender buds, cover and let steep 20 to 30 minutes; strain through a fine mesh sieve pressing on the buds to get all the flavor, then chill the lavender milk until cold (or put it in an ice bath to speed it up).

2. In a medium bowl stir the entire can of sweetened condensed milk with the vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt until smooth, then stir in the chilled lavender-infused milk; taste and if you want a stronger lavender flavor let it steep longer next time but don’t add more buds now.

3. Chill your mixing bowl and beaters if you can, then whip the heavy cream to soft to medium peaks — you want it airy but not grainy or overbeaten.

4. Fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk and lavender mixture in two or three additions, using a silicone spatula and gentle scoops so you keep as much air as possible.

5. Make the blackberry swirl: toss the berries with 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar and the lemon juice; mash slightly with a fork. If you want a smoother jammy swirl, simmer the berries for 3 to 5 minutes until saucy, cool completely before using.

6. If you want a stronger purple color, stir a few drops of purple gel food coloring into the base now; you only need a little.

7. Spoon half the ice cream base into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, dollop half the blackberry mixture over it, use a butter knife to gently swirl, pour in the remaining base, add the rest of the blackberries and do a final swirl — don’t overmix or the color and streaks will disappear.

8. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap or press parchment onto it to prevent ice crystals, then freeze at least 6 to 8 hours or overnight until firm.

9. To serve, let the container sit at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes to soften for easier scooping; scoop, enjoy, and store leftovers covered in the freezer.

Equipment Needed

1. Small saucepan for warming the whole milk and steeping the lavender
2. Fine mesh sieve plus a small bowl to strain and press the buds
3. Measuring cups and spoons for the cream, milk, sugar, lemon and vanilla
4. Medium mixing bowl for the condensed milk and lavender milk mixture
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with beaters, chill the bowl and beaters if you can
6. Silicone spatula for gentle folding and scraping the sides
7. Loaf pan or freezer safe container and plastic wrap or parchment to press onto the surface
8. Fork or small masher for the blackberries and a butter knife to make the swirl

FAQ

Lavender Ice Cream Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Heavy whipping cream: swap with full fat coconut milk or coconut cream for a dairy free version (use same volume, texture will be a bit silkier and faintly coconut-y); or make a quick stand-in by mixing 1 1/2 cups whole milk with 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter to equal 2 cups heavy cream, though the flavor is slightly richer and not exactly the same.
• Sweetened condensed milk: use a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed coconut milk for vegan/dairy-free; or make a quick homemade version by simmering about 2 cups whole milk with 2/3 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar until reduced and thickened to roughly 1 cup, cool before using.
• Dried culinary lavender buds: swap for 1/2 to 1 teaspoon culinary lavender extract if you want stronger floral punch (extract is much more concentrated), or use 2 tablespoons dried chamomile or 1 tablespoon dried rose petals for a different but lovely floral note.
• Blackberries: use raspberries, blueberries, or chopped strawberries in the same quantity (1 to 1 1/4 cups); adjust the sugar a little if the berries are sweeter or tarter than blackberries.

Pro Tips

1) Chill everything and watch those peaks. Put the bowl, beaters and cream in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, it helps the cream whip up faster and stay fluffy. Stop whipping at soft to medium peaks, you want it airy not grainy, cuz overwhipped cream will give you a icy, curdled texture later.

2) Be gentle folding and do it in batches. Fold the whipped cream into the condensed-lavender base 2 or 3 additions with big sweeping motions, otherwise youll lose the air and the ice cream will be dense. If you rush it you’ll also lose the pretty lavender flecks and color streaks.

3) Make the blackberry swirl useable and pretty. If you hate seeds mash and toss with sugar for a chunkier swirl, or simmer 3 to 5 minutes then cool and push through a fine sieve for a smooth jammy sauce. If the cooked sauce is too thin, whisk a tiny cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water) into it then simmer a minute, cool completely before swirling so it doesnt melt your base.

4) Prevent freezer burn and scoopable ice cream. Press plastic wrap or parchment directly onto the surface, freeze flat, and let the container sit at room temp 5 to 10 minutes before scooping. If its still too hard, run a metal scoop under hot water and dry it quick, that makes much cleaner scoops. For a slightly softer, scoopable finish straight from the freezer, you can stir in 1 tablespoon vodka or liqueur to the base, it wont taste boozy but it lowers freezing hardness.