Lavender & honey ice-cream

Ingredients     550ml whole milk, 30g skimmed milk powder, 4 egg yolks, 50g caster sugar, 50g honey, 1/3 cup lavender

Makes: 1 pint ice-cream Preparation: 2 hours (plus freezing time)

This is one of the most sinfully rich, creamy, ice-creams I have ever eaten. It's something I make about once a year and eat sparingly, one mouthwatering scoop at a time with sweet fruit such as strawberries or a lemon tart. It takes quite a bit of effort because this is a recipe for hand-made ice-cream. If you have an ice-cream maker then omit the skimmed milk powder and use just 2 eggs.

1) Pour the milk into a pan and add the lavender, the skimmed milk powder and honey. Whisk as you bring it to the boil, then turn down the heat and allow to gentle simmer for 5 minutes before taking off the heat.

2) Add the egg yolks and sugar to a bowl and whisk for about 10 minutes until the mixture has doubled in volume and the colour has paled.

3) Strain the lavender from the milk, then set the bowl of egg yolks into a bowl of ice-water and pour in the milk mixture, whisking through until it is fully incorporated.

4) Return to the pan and cook on a low heat, stirring continuously, until it has thickened enough for you to draw a line through it with a spoon.

5) Scrape the custard back into the bowl over the ice-water with a spatula and leave to rest until it has cooled. Transfer to a tupperware box and put in the fridge for 4 hours.

6) Remove from the fridge and stir thoroughly, then freeze for 30 minutes.

7) Remove from the freezer and stir thoroughly with a fork. Return to the freezer but repeat this stage twice, after 30 minute intervals before leaving to freeze completely.