Ingredients
2 cups (500ml) heavy cream
1 cup (250ml) whole milk
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup (150g) lilac sugar or granulated sugar
2 cups cup loosely packed lilac flowers
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pick your lilacs, and remove each small flower from the green stem. The stems can be bitter, and it’s worth the time to remove them.
- In a medium saucepan combine the milk, heavy cream and lilacs. Bring up to a bare simmer. Remove from the heat and cover, allow to infuse for an hour or in the fridge overnight for a stronger flavor.
- Strain out the flowers and return the cream to the pot, adding more cream if needed to measure two cups. Heat over medium low reaching a low simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the sugar and yolks in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add a little of the warm cream into the egg/sugar mixture and mix to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the cream and continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).
- Strain the mixture into a bowl. Add the vanilla and salt. Allow to come to room temperature and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer into a container, cover and freeze until firm.