Rose Petal Icecream

(I have taken this recipe from the online GREEN CHRONICLE, changing the measurements from American to British measurements.)

How to make rose petal ice cream:

This is a most unusual recipe which harks back to a time when certain flowers were used quite extensively in cooking. When obtaining rose petals, make absolutely certain that you know how they have been grown and that they have neither been too near a busy highway or sprayed with pesticides. If you buy your roses from a florist's shop make sure that they have not been treated with any chemicals. Also remove any bugs, dirt etc. and wash the petals thoroughly before use.

(N.B. I usually go and collect fallen rose petals from Regent's Park in London).
Ingredients



1/2 pint organic milk
yolks of 6 organic, free range eggs
3 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/2 pint organic cream
1 cup rose petals
1/2 litre rosé wine








Method

- Beat the egg yolks with the sugar.
- Add the milk and stir over a low heat in a basin standing in a saucepan of hot water.
- Heat carefully until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and leave to become cold.
- Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and fold it into the cold custard mixture which you prepared earlier.
- Remove and discard the white ends from the rose petals then mix them with the wine.
- Fold the rose-petal mixture into the custard and cream mixture and freeze.
- Stir once or twice during freezing or use an ice cream making machine.

LAVENDER AND HONEY ICE-CREAM

     

I have been looking for this recipe for years, ever since I had the unbelievable pleasure of tasting this ambrosial ice-cream at a farmers' market. I finally found it in the Sunday Telegraph.

Ingredients

6-8 sprigs lavender
600 ml (1 pint) full cream milk
180 ml lavender honey (In London, you can buy this at the shop in Chelsea Physic Garden)
If you can't get lavender honey,. then use more lavender and any organic honey
4 egg yolks
300 ml. double cream

Put the lavender in a saucepan with the milk and bring it to the boil slowly, then cover with a lid. Take it off the heat to infuse for about half-an-hour. Heat the honey in a jar in a pan of boiling water, then pour it into a bowl and whisk it with the egg yolks.

Strain the milk into another pan and reheat it to boiling, then pour it over the honey and egg yolk mixture. Return it to the pan and stir it over a gentle heat till it thickens. Leave it to cool before stirring in the double cream. Freeze.

Transfer to the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.