Lavender-Custard Ice Cream

Serves about 8

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lavender flowers
• ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup water
• 3 egg yolks
• Crystallized Lavender Flowers for garnish

Heat the cream in a saucepan. Add the lavender flowers and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and water, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour mixture into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (Do not touch or stir the sugar while it’s boiling. If sugar crystals form on the side of the pan, the syrup will crystallize.) Set aside.

Place egg yolks in a bowl and, using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip until they are yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour the hot sugar syrup down the inside of the bowl. Whip for about 1 minute without spattering the syrup. Add lavender cream and beat until combined. Strain this custard to remove the bits of lavender, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool. Pour into an ice-cream maker and freeze.

 Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch bundt pan and dust with flour; set aside.

In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add 1 1/3 cups of the flour, beating until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Stir in the rose water, vanilla, lavender, and orange zest.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Continuing to beat, add Granulated Lavender Sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until the mixture is smooth and glossy, about 3 minutes.

Stir one-forth of the egg whites into the butter mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Sift the remaining 1 1/3 cups flour over the batter, a little at a time, and gently fold in to incorporate. Don’t over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake pulls away from the pan sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and golden brown, about 50 minutes.

Remove the cake to a rack and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn out onto the rack, invert, and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and let stand 24 hours before slicing.

Before serving, sift Lavender Confectioner’s Sugar over the cake, garnish with candied lavender flowers.