Lavender Coconut Dairy Free Ice Cream
lavender coconut dairy free ice cream
Summer nostalgia meets lavender, frozen treats and vintage crystal tableware! We cannot have summer soon enough but we can dream about it and taste it with this creamy and delicious dairy free lavender ice cream. Note that you can use the same ratio of lavender syrup and lavender buds in most dairy ice cream recipes. The good news is the rich and creamy coconut cream truly makes delicious ice cream whether you you are vegan, keto or not - it’s definitely worth a spoonful. The bad news is coconut cream is indeed rich and high in saturated fats. Like most delicious and indulgent culinary delights, it is best enjoyed in small doses. Or maybe not.
If you happen to have an ice cream maker this lavender coconut ice cream is truly a delight when freshly churned. If you do not have an ice cream maker you can also fill popsicle moulds and voilà, you will have delicious lavender creamsicles! Whichever route you take, enjoy the sweet taste of summer and of lavender fields in full bloom.
TIPS:
-Having an ice cream maker on hand does make it much easier to achieve a decadent creamy consistecy with any ice cream making endeavour. I Use an 1.5 litres Ice cream making machine from the italian brand Musso and it works like a charm.
-Add a bit of pizzaz to your creation by sugaring the rim of your glass serving dish. For this recipe I used lavender infused granulated sugar and lemon to sugar the rim. You can use a cocktail rimmer or simply add sugar to a small plate, moisten to the rim of your glass dish with a small piece of lemon, dip it in the sugar plate and let it dry before serving. You can also use simple syrup or water instead of lemon.
-Although it is tempting to substitute cream for milk to cut down fat, resist and indulge! The higher moisture content of milk will turn your ice cream rock hard and icy once frozen.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes CHILLING AND FREEZING: 5 hours
INGREDIENTS:
-1 can (400ml) Coconut Cream (not cream of coconut!)
-3/4 Cup Full flavour Lavender Simple Syrup (see recipe in blog)
- 1 tsp culinary lavender buds
-Purple Food Colourant (optional) I used a mixture of red and blue to give a blueish purple. Experiment with colours and have fun with it!
LAVENDER SIMPLE SYRUP: (prepare syrup in advance to allow the lavender aroma to be fully infused)
-3 tbsp dried culinary grade lavender buds
-1 cup filtered water
-1 cup sugar.
DIRECTIONS:
-Prepare a full flavour simple syrup. Overnight infused syrup will have a fuller and bolder aroma and taste than any syrup made in 20 minutes. Since your syrup will be diluted in coconut cream you want to make sure that it is strong enough to be noticeable.
-Using a mortar and pestle, finely grind 1 teaspoon of culinary lavender buds and set aside. You can also use a clean coffee grinder.
-In a medium bowl, add the coconut cream and lavender simple syrup. Using a handheld mixer wisk together until the mixture is completely smooth. You should not feel any grit when rubbing the mixture between your fingers.
-Add food colouring one drop at a time and blend until desired colour is achieved. You can also use a toothpick to add the colouring. This will give you better control when adding colour. Try using a blueish purple for a more natural lavender colouring. If food colouring is not your jam, this ice cream will be just as delicious au natural garnished with a few lavender sprinkles.
-Add the ground lavender buds to the mixture and whisk together.
-Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacture’s instructions. Mine usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes.
-Once the ice cream is thick and the consistency of a firm soft-served ice cream , transfer into an air tight container and freeze until solid. Usually it takes around 4 to 5 hours.
-Let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes and sprinkle with lavender buds before serving.
Scoop, serve and enjoy!
***Alberta Lavender Farm Will be selling culinary grade lavender buds starting in August and onward. In the meantime, you can find culinary lavender locally at the Travelling Moon Apothecary located at the Gasoline Alley Farmer’s Market or at the Silk Road Spice Merchant in Calgary and online.