Lavender Ice Cream - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 sprigs lavender (about 8cm long) or 4 tablespoons dried lavender blossoms
280 ml full-fat milk
4 medium egg yolks
90 g caster sugar
284 ml double cream

Preparation

Chop lavender into 1cm pieces and place into heavy-bottomed saucepan with milk.
Heat until just below boiling (don't let it boil...), remove and cool.
When cold, put in fridge overnight to allow flavour to infuse.
Next day!
Rewarm milk and lavender (don't let it boil...), and strain.
Beat together the yolks and sugar and slowly add to warmed milk, stirring all the time.
Put mixture into clean, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir over low heat until custard thickens enough to coat back of a wooden spoon.
Do not let it boil!
Leave to cool.
Strain custard through sieve lined with muslin-like cloth.
If you have an ice-cream maker: Stir the cream into the custard, transfer to ice-cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.
If you don't have an ice-cream maker: Lightly whip the cream and fold into custard.
Pour into a shallow, freezerproof container, cover with greaseproof paper and freeze for about 30 minutes.
Repeat three more times, or until the ice cream is set.
Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks (if you can control yourself that long!).