Lemon Verbena Ice Cream from a French Country Herb Garden

Ingredients

• 2 tea cups fresh lemon verbena leaves, wiped and dried
• 350 ml whole milk
• 350 ml double cream or whipping cream
• 125 g caster sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• lemon verbena leaves, to garnish

Directions

1. 1

   In a medium saucepan, warm the lemon verbena leaves with all of the milk, 100ml of the cream and the sugar Press the leaves with the back of a wooden spoon to help the flavours release. Once warm, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for one to two hours.

2. 2

   To make the ice cream custard, pour the remaining cream into a large bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water, and put a sieve on top.

3. 3

   Use a strainer or slotted spoon to skim the lemon verbena from the milk and squeeze the leaves to extract as much liquid as possible back into the saucepan, then discard them. Reheat the lemon verbena infusion then whisk the eggs together and slowing pour in the warm infusion, whisking constantly.

4. 4

   Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan and cook, stirring continuously with a heatproof spatula, until the custard leaves a clear path on the spatula when you drag your finger across it.

5. 5

   Immediately strain the custard into the bowl of cool cream and stir well until cool.

6. 6

   Chill thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serve with fresh leaves for garnish and a little lemon syrup drizzled over for a flavour explosion!