Description
Indulge in a unique homemade ice cream blending the subtle floral notes of dandelions with the sweet richness of honey. This recipe creates a surprisingly delicious and creamy dessert, turning garden ‘weeds’ into a gourmet treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh dandelion petals (yellow parts only, tightly packed)
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup honey (local or wildflower)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Carefully pull only the yellow petals from the green base of fresh dandelions. Discard all green parts to avoid bitterness.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and dandelion petals. Heat over medium-low heat until steam rises and small bubbles form around the edges; do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight for a stronger flavor.
- Strain the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing lightly on the petals to extract all liquid. Discard the petals. Return the infused cream to the saucepan and add the salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale yellow.
- Reheat the infused cream over medium-low heat until warm. Slowly ladle about ½ cup of the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the custard thickens to coat the back of a spoon (about 175°F/80°C). Do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the honey and vanilla extract.
- Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl set over an ice bath. Stir occasionally until completely cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to ensure it is thoroughly chilled.
- Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight freezer-safe container. Press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing with a lid. Freeze for at least 4-6 hours, or until firm, before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 mins (plus steeping)
- Cook Time: 15 mins