The Best Lavender Lemon Ice Cream Recipe To Try Immediately

This lavender lemon ice cream recipe was first published on June 12, 2023.

If you had told me making ice cream at home was this easy, I would have made this lavender lemon ice cream way before. Way longer before. Because I have never had such a delicate yet complex flavoured ice cream and I most definitely need more of this in my life immediately. Especially since the heat is starting to come in full swing here in the north of Italy, and I no longer can consume food that is hot or requires me to warm up a room for it to cook.

If you have ever spent even a week or so in summer in Italy, you would know what I am talking about. And ice cream is all you will be leaving on from May to September if not even October. And what a diet that is! Ice cream, gelato, lollies, frozen cocktails, granita and even shaved ice, whatever you can get in iced form will be great in my books. So this lavender lemon ice cream is the only one I want to eat right now!

Let’s get to make the lavender lemon ice cream together now.

You know we have previously used lavender as an ingredient in a beautiful cocktail, in this easy lavender liqueur recipe and in this lavender mocktail. And while this hasn’t got a bit of alcohol in it, I cannot begin to tell you how deliciously similar these two are. The lavender lemon ice cream is as creamy as it gets, with beautiful hints of lavender and luscious swirls of lemon cream. That floral flavor makes the final ice cream one you don’t want to miss out on, a long way from your average ice cream. Get ready to whip some cream, because it’s time!

What is lavender and is it good for you?

You might have read this on the other post already, but lavender, botanically known as Lavandula, is a herb that is part of the mint family and it’s widely known for its colour, scent and properties, both medicinal and culinary. There are at least 47 known species of lavender with 450 different varieties of it and it is said to be native to the Mediterranean, Middle East and India and dates back to 2,500 years ago in the Egyptian mummification process.

Lavender is a popular herb with unique flavour and fragrance profiles. Culinary lavender can be used in anything from teas to cocktails, desserts and savoury recipes too. Other varieties of lavender are used to make essential oils, balms, soaps, tinctures and bath gels or to decorate both inside and outside the home.

Among the many benefits of this herb, we can find that:

• lavender can help improve sleep thanks to its relaxing effects;
• it can help treat skin blemishes thanks to its antibacterial properties and it can help prevent and heal acne: lavender oil is non-comedogenic, meaning that it will not clog pores;
• can help with hair growth, encouraging the growth of thicker, fuller hair, and also faster;
• lavender can help ease the pain being an anti-inflammatory plant;
• it can help reduce high blood pressure;
• lavender can help relieve headaches and migraines (Everyday Health).

Can I use regular lavender for cooking?

As we mentioned in that article about the lavender cocktail, there are plenty of different species of lavender and some of them will taste better for cooking than others. All 100 varieties that come from the Lavandula angustifolia, or more widely known as English lavender are perfect for cooking. Some other varieties of the same Lavandula Angustifolia that are great for cooking are Royal Velvet, Folgate, and Melissa (BBfamilyfarm.com).

And even if you believe that all lavender was made equal and that it will make a great option for cooking, you are indeed very wrong. Using lavender that is not from these species will result in you tasting soap and perfume in your dessert or drink, not ideal. Especially for this lavender lemon ice cream!

And what about lemons, are they good for you?

I simply adore lemons, since I was a kid. I can demonstrate it by letting you know that whenever we went for gelato, all I was willing to pick was strawberries and lemons. And I think my love for both has been expressed by the myriad of recipes containing these ingredients:

• this pistachio lemon cake recipe;
• the most refreshing strawberry lemonade;
• this limoncello tonic drink;
• the most delicious strawberry nutella muffins;
• and what about this 3-ingredient strawberry sorbet?;
• the cutest mini strawberry cake pots;
• a strawberry & basil pie to die for;
• and last, but not least, the strawberry, poppy seed & ginger scones!

So after I demonstrated my love for both lemons and strawberries, I can share a little about lemons and why they are good for you. Lemons are indeed a good source of vitamin C and flavonoids, which are antioxidants. As a matter of fact, lemons are full of:

• Vitamin B6 – helps convert food into energy;
• Potassium – can help lower blood pressure;
• Citric acid – helps prevent the formation of kidney stones;
• Vitamin C – which is important for the immune system and skin health.

Lemon can help against anaemia, prevent kidney stones, enhance immune functions, can lower cholesterol, improve digestive health, and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

There are a few different types of lemons, and the most commonly grown lemon in the U.S. is the Eureka lemon. You may also know of the Meyer lemon, a smaller, sweeter lemon that may have gotten its start as a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. When you buy a lemon, look for those that are bright and have an even colour. It should be firm but not too hard. Store them in the refrigerator to last longer than at room temperature (WebMD). You will be able to use all of the parts of the lemon, and lemon zest is one of my favourite things to add to bakes.

But anyway, are you surprised it is included in this lavender lemon ice cream?

What is the difference between ice cream and gelato?

We don’t have many ice cream recipes on this blog apart from this blackcurrant ice cream, this carrot cake ice cream and this sorbet, as I tend to find these recipes a little bit tedious, and this lavender lemon ice cream is possibly the number one after the sorbet. Turning this homemade ice cream into a gelato wouldn’t be too difficult as the key ingredient is there, of course. But this lavender ice cream recipe needs no ice cream machine, and is untraditional to the usual ice cream base and has no egg yolks or egg mixture in the base. Let’s see a few differences:

• The temperature at which both freeze is different: ice cream will freeze at -18°C while gelato will be at -9°C;
• The dairy: whole milk for gelato and cream for ice cream;
• The fat content: higher in ice cream (20-25%) and lower in gelato (2-9%).

What ingredients do I need to make this lavender lemon ice cream?

This lavender lemon ice cream doesn’t require many ingredients and you will very likely have some already in your pantry. Let’s see what we need.

For the lavender-infused cream, first and foremost, you will need two ingredients, the heavy cream and the dried lavender. This cream will be then added to the rest after taking some time to infuse, and you will need also some extra cream to add to this base. Then you will also need sweetened condensed milk, some fresh blackberry juice and both vanilla paste and a pinch of salt.

Last, but not least, the lemon cream or lemon curd, to layer this lavender lemon ice cream. You can choose whether to go for one or the other, or even a completely different ingredient if you fancy. You can also omit it completely, but the point here is the lavender lemon ice cream will do extremely well with a creamy middle.

How do I make this lavender lemon ice cream?

This lavender lemon ice cream initially scared me off a little and I honestly kept putting it off thinking it would be such a laborious deal I did not want to join. Boy, was I wrong! This lavender lemon ice cream it’s as easy as infusing, mixing, layering and freezing. Let’s see how it’s made.

To start, in a microwave-safe bowl pour the 1/2 cup of cream and microwave it for 1 minute or until the cream is warm. Then you can add the lavender and mix it in well, cover the bowl and let it infuse in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or even overnight for the best results when it comes to flavour.

Once the lavender-infused cream is ready, strain it in the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, then add the rest of the cream and whip it until it’s stiff. In a separate large bowl, you will stir the condensed milk, blackberry juice, pinch of salt and vanilla paste until everything is combined.

Time to mix the two: add a dollop or two of the whipped cream to this mix and stir it until also fully incorporated, then spoon half the whipped cream and fold it in using movements from bottom to top, making sure you do not deflate it.  Once it’s all incorporated, add the other half of the cream and repeat this process until everything is combined but not deflated. It will take a bit of time, but it will all be worth it for this lavender lemon ice cream!

Now you can finally grab your ice cream container and pour half of the mixture at the bottom, swirl in some lemon cream and layer the rest of the mixture on top. Decorate the top with extra lemon cream swirled in and some fresh lavender buds. Freeze overnight, covered in cling film or whatever top fits the container of your choice. You can serve the lavender lemon ice cream afterwards, just take it out 5-10 minutes before you intend to serve it for the perfect consistency.

Shop the lavender lemon ice cream post

So if you’re ready to get into the ice cream world with no need for an ice cream machine or some fancy ingredient, this recipe for the delicious lavender lemon ice cream is for you!

Pin this lavender lemon ice cream!