Lavender gelato recipe

lavender gelato

A delicious unordinary gelato recipe with a creamy texture and the aroma of summer lavender fields.

Ingredients

for 700 gr of gelato

  • whole milk (3.9% in fat): 420 gr / 14.82 oz
  • cream (36% in fat): 145 gr / 5.11 oz
  • sugar: 135 gr / 4.76 oz
  • fresh lavender flower stems: n° 5

To create your own recipe you can follow instructions in my article on how to balance ingredients, whith also a useful recipe calculator.

Nutrition facts

for 140gr (4 scoops) - Energy (kcal/140gr):259

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Click on bubbles to see % of Daily Values for adults

Steps

  1. Place a plastic tube on the scale and weight the milk; reset and add the cream;
  2. weight the sugar in a bowl then add to milk and cream in the tube;
  3. mix with the immersion blender till all the sugar is completely dissolved;
  4. add the lavender stems; to extract the aromatic essence from lavender flowers we need to rise the temperature of the mix up to 50 °C (120 °F);
  5. pour the mixture in a pot and heat up gently the temperature; stir slowly the mixture using the whisk and check frequently the temperature with a kitchen thermometer; when the temperature is reached take off from fire and low quickly the temperature placing the pot in a cold water or ice bath;
  6. let the mixture rest in the fridge for 6-8 hours;
  7. pour the mixture in your gelato or ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions; if you are looking for a gelato maker, you may find useful my Guide on gelato and ice cream makers;
  8. leave the lavender gelato in the freezer for 30-60 minutes before consuming it.

More details on preparation steps in my article The home-made gelato preparation steps.

Tips & insights

Lavender fields

When we talk about lavender fields, we immediately think of the amazing fields in Provence, the French region famous for its lavender crops.
But even here in Tuscany there are lavender fields, in the countryside near the village of Santa Luce.
They are organic and biodynamic cultivations of the Tuscan company Flora which produces essential oils.

lavender fields in Tuscany

Lavender is already present in the cultural traditions of ancient peoples such as the Egyptians and the Romans.
In aromatherapy, it is attributed to relaxing, rebalancing and regenerating properties.

It can also be used in small doses to give a particular aroma to gastronomic preparations such as gelato and other kind of desserts.
Usually I prefer to use fresh flowers, but not being available all year round you can also use food grade essential oils.