Honey Lavender Ice Cream

I got the idea for this recipe from my friend Chef J. McKnight at CuisineXtreme.com. We've both done a lot of work for that website and I find him to be an incredible chef. He has an array of really impressive recipe ideas. So, I give all the credit to him for this wonderful dessert. I find the liqueur to be an important ingredient. I would almost say that the liqueur defines the flavor for this recipe. Chef McKnight uses Benedictine Liqueur in his ice cream, but I decided to go with Kahlua for a smoother finish. I'm going to make this recipe again with Chocolate Raspberry liqueur.

INGREDIENTS
3 C. Heavy Cream
1 C. Half & Half
2 Tbsp. Lavender Flowers
10 Egg Yolks
10 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp. Kahlua


Begin by using a saucepan to heat the heavy cream, half & half, and lavender flowers just to a boil. Remove from the heat and strain the cream through a chinois or fine mesh strainer. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, honey, and Kahlua. While whisking, pour the heated cream into the honey mixture to create a custard. Return the custard to a saucepan and, using LOW HEAT, and stirring constantly, bring the custard to a temperature of 175°F. DO NOT let it boil. If you don't have a thermometer to temp the custard, heat it until you begin to see convection. Strain the finished custard into a bowl to chill and set in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Transfer the cold cream to an container and freeze.