Honey Lavender Ricotta Ice Cream

Honey Lavender Ricotta Ice Cream is the perfect combination of floral notes, sweet cheese and honey.  Lightly sweet and incredibly creamy, this ice cream is perfect for those who prefer mild and unique pairings!

Yesterday had to be one of the most fun days of my life! I got to record a pilot for a competitive cooking show! And............I won't tell you about it yet! I won't post about it 'til Friday. Butchie was the better half of my cooking team and I need to give her some time to insert her comments so she can tell you all about it too! But for now suffice it so say, we have had a LOT of fun in the kitchen yesterday and now realize that blind taste testing is harder than it appears! 

I have some other great news too! I am a top 10 finalist for the Let's re-Do Lunch Photo Contest!  My entry is the apple raisin quesadillas! Luckily for me I have no pride. I'm not at all above asking for help, and after saying that I'm sure you are not at all surprised to hear that I also have no shame. I'm also not above begging! PLEASE vote for me! I'm really excited about the winner getting $1,000 dollars to donate to their local food bank! It's just so.... so....well.... it's just the entire point of this blog! It's what Cherry Tea Cakes is all about! (For those of you who are a tad bit confused, I take local catering jobs and donate my proceeds to the Capital Area Food Bank!) 

I'm really excited to be a part of this competition! And speaking of catering jobs I need to get back to making ice creams and cakes for a birthday party! My latest ice cream love is this honey lavender ricotta ice cream! I had some at a local ice cream shop and just had to make more! It's lightly sweet and the floral accents of the lavender blend perfectly with the honey! 

Enjoy! 

Honey Lavender Ricotta Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups half and half

7 oz. fresh ricotta cheese

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon culinary lavender buds

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar

pinch of kosher salt

Bring the half and half, honey, lavender and ricotta to a boil in a large heavy saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to steep, covered, for half an hour. 

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the lavender. 

In a stand mixer combine the egg and sugar.  Beat for one minute until light and fluffy. 

Gently mix in the honey lavender ricotta cream mixture. 

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until finished and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.