Blackberry, Lavender & Goat's Milk Ice Cream

When my mom came back to the U.S. for the summer, she was dying to get back in the kitchen and we were both feeling pretty ambitious. We had plans for dinner parties, pickling, jamming, making our own butter and after an incredible dinner at Sean's Panorama in Syndey, a hankering to make some homemade goat's curd.


Trader Joe's happens to sell goat's milk and we thought the battle was already won but some Internet research showed that to make goat's curd or goat cheese, you can't really use the Ultra Pasteurized kind. Not wanting to let carton go to waste, we had to find something else which was unnaturally easy when Alinea at Home posted an "at Home Adaption" of raspberry, goat's milk, red pepper taffy, pistachio.

This ice cream was pretty phenomenal. You can really taste the lavender (if it's still fresh!) and the goat's milk makes for a very creamy custard. It's the kind of treat that takes people off guard because although it sounds fancy and complex, the flavor combo is very accessible- especially if you pair it with the pistachio brittle (which I will definitely make again for Christmas).

Blackberry, Lavender & Goat's Milk Ice Cream
Adapted from Alinea at Home who adapted from the Alinea Cookbook

Ingredients

• 2 cups goat milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 tblsp food-grade lavender buds
• 1 quart blackberries
• 6 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream
• dash vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, warm the goat's milk, sugar and salt just until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the flame, add the lavender and let steep, covered for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the cream in a large bowl with a strainer set over it. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.
After the milk has been infused, strain the liquid into a saucepan and discard the lavender buds. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat and then add a few ladles to the egg mixture, stirring to incorporate. Add another ladle or so, whisking and stirring the whole time and then add the milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat. Keep stirring the mixture until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Poor the mixture through the mesh strainer, into the heavy cream. Add a dash of vanilla. Let the mixture cool completely and then chill in fridge before continuing.

Before churning the ice cream, mash up the blackberries a bit- I spread them onto a cookie sheet and used a potato masher. Add these to the mixture and then churn the whole thing in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

Pistachio Brittle

Adapted from the Alinea Cookbook, page 92

Ingredients

• 165g (5.8 oz.) pistachios, roasted and salted!
• 465g (1 lb. .4 oz.) sugar
• 72g (2.5 oz.) water
• 5g (.2 oz.) baking soda

Heat the sugar and water to 342F degrees (172C), then turn off the burner. Add the baking soda which will cause the mixture to foam and bubble- then add the pistachios. Pour the mixture onto a silpat lined baking sheet or if you're lucky enough like me, pour it straight onto a granite counter top. Let it harden to room temperature. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container. Try not to eat it all at once.