Honeyed Chamomile and Buttermilk Ice Cream
Ever since Sam and I got engaged in December, I told myself that I could get away with not worrying about too many of the smaller details until … June. It was always an arbitrary month but seemed fitting as it was three months away from our actual wedding. A good time to, say, ask yourself: If you’re writing your own ceremony, how the heck does one do that? The answer? Hold that thought until June. If you’ve decided on very large 12-inch layer cakes instead of a more traditional wedding cake, where does one find very large cake stands? The answer? Settle that in June. Wedding shoes? As it turns out, wedding shoes are happily relegated to June (and will likely be just as happy when relegated to July). So the other day when I was writing out my rent check, I realized that here we are: why hello, June. Instead of getting right down to business, it seems as good a time as any to make ice cream.
Now of course, Sam and I still have a few months to tend to all these details but with the way that summer typically whirls on past, I’ve started to make some lists. In fact, I bought a special notebook for these lists. And we’ve been slowly checking things off and designating who will work on what. Sam does most of the design-oriented planning, obviously. Invitations and website and menus. I took care of the travel and lodging logistics for our guests, flower girl dresses, tent rentals. And while we’ve both been plugging away at our separate tasks, it’s started to feel more like teamwork over these past few weeks. We recently went to a very, very bizarre cake tasting, the likes of which should really have its own entire blog post. Or short story. But let’s suffice it to say we drove an hour outside of the city to taste pre-frozen, very dry cake in a woman’s shed/basement that was shared with her dogs (or goats … or some animal hiding behind a very large sheet). Rather than slicing the cake to try, she ripped it into pieces with her hands and the idea was that we’d then take a hunk of cake and dunk it in a bowl of frosting. I learned that day I’m not the biggest fan of the torn-cake-frosting-dunk.
But thankfully I have Sam. Sam, who dutifully tasted cake and politely asked how we may be able to make it a bit more moist as it seemed rather dry to him. Sam, who asked the woman all about what her husband does for a living and complimented her Kitchen Aid set-up (all the while I was seated cross-legged on my stool trying not to have a panic attack and cursing myself for having made us drive so far from home, wasting an entire afternoon). But Sam kept grabbing my leg under the table and meeting my worried gaze with his smiling eyes. We had a good, long laugh about it in the car pulling out of the driveway, and I felt more than ever that we were building something together here — to-do lists, check boxes and really awful wedding cake included.
Now team or no team, I’ve been making quite a bit of ice cream this season. I made a Vegan Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip for The Kitchn followed by a Vegan Strawberry Swirl. Today I’m excited to share this super-creamy, slightly tangy Honeyed Buttermilk and Chamomile Ice Cream. I’ve been thinking about this flavor for awhile now, maybe since I received David Lebovitz’s beautiful new book, My Paris Kitchen, in the mail. He has a recipe for Buttermilk Ice Cream in the book. Then Joy the Baker wrote about a Buttermilk Ice Cream with Strawberries. The universe was clearly trying to tell me something.
For my version, I decided to make a French-style ice cream using egg yolks and amped up the tanginess of the buttermilk even further with a little sour cream. The round, sweetness of the honey and the softness of chamomile balances it beautifully. I think this recipe is the perfect entry into warm weather ice cream season, so if you haven’t made a homemade batch in awhile, I highly suggest it. While we ate it in small bowls for the last week, it was my intention to buy little shortbread cookies or thin buttery cookies — I think they’d be really nice with this flavor, too. As if any of us needs a suggestion for how to eat their ice cream. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it. With a teammate … or solo. I can vouch for the fact that it tastes just as good either way.
Quick note on chamomile: For this recipe, you can use loose chamomile flowers / tea purchased at your local co-op, health food store or tea / herb shop. They shouldn’t be too tough to track down, and are also readily available online. Some recipes using chamomile flowers suggest to submerge them in a little water and drain them on paper towels just to remove any possible residue, but I found they simple floated at the top for the most part and made a bit of a mess. So I ditched this advice and figured that we’re steeping them in very hot milk and that they’d likely be just fine.
Honeyed Buttermilk and Chamomile Ice Cream
- Yield: About 2 Quarts
- Prep time: 5 mins
- Cook time: 10 mins
- Inactive time: 15 mins
Because this ice cream has a lower fat content than some (buttermilk, a main ingredient, is low fat), you’ll want to let it soften slightly at room temperature before serving. If you can’t find loose chamomile flowers, I have a hunch that about 4 chamomile tea bags would work, too. And certainly feel free to experiment with other herbs or teas for steeping. If you like lavender that could be really nice used sparingly, as would something savory like thyme. Please note that the ice cream base takes 2 hours to chill and 4 hours to firm up, and this time isn’t accounted for in the breakdowns above — nor is the total time as everyone’s ice cream machine really works at different speeds.
Ingredients
Instructions
Bring cream to a slow, gentle simmer in heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chamomile flowers. Let sit for 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Put cream mixture back on the stovetop and heat on medium heat until it just barely comes to a simmer. Very slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to saucepan, add the honey and stir continuously over medium-low heat until custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to boil.
Pour the custard through a fine-weive strainer and into a medium bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cold, 2 hours (or up to overnight if easier).
Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to a large, flat container (I prefer a bread loaf pan). Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
Welcome to A Sweet Spoonful, my blog devoted to seasonal cooking, whole grain baking, and casual gatherings in our Pacific Northwest home. My name is Megan Gordon and I'm so glad you're here.
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Shalaka
I've always used chamomile tea bags to make chamomile ice cream and they work wonderfully - easy to steep and remove. Just make sure you check the ingredients are only chamomile flowers and not some blend of other flavors which might make a lovely tea but an odd tasting ice cream. Love your cookbook by the way!
Erin
This sounds like the perfect calming antidote to wedding prep, which, as it turns out, is not always as calm as we imagine it would be. That basement-animal-behind-the-curtain story is a real keeper. You must weave into your vows--even if very subtly!
Susan
Teamwork...I am impressed. Nice job.
But, back to your book...I LOVE it and have made the Breakfast Cookies so many times!!
Love the millet crunch. Thanks again.
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
Hi Megan! What beautiful memories you and Sam are making through your wedding preparations. I love how your feelings of June already being here quickly turned to ice cream! HA! I can so relate! And your ingredients for this delightful, summer treat are so refreshing. Buttermilk has got to be one of my all time favorite baking ingredients and chamomile is at the top of my tea list. I'll be putting this recipe on my to make list! Thank you for sharing your stories and this delightful summertime recipe. Wishing you and Sam smooth planning and all those boxes checked off soon!
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life
Ah, wedding planning...
Not being married myself, but having been bridesmaid/maid of honour in three weddings over the past few years and watched the planning of many more I can say that it isn't the most peaceful or soul-soothing of times. However, it is worth it on the day. I have watched my two best friends and my sister walk down the aisle and stood beside them as they declared that this was the best day of their lives and that they will always remember it.
When the planning gets too much and the shoes seem like too much to bother with, just make some ice cream and remember that come the day everything will be perfect even if it isn't because on that day you get to marry your best friend.
Stacy
Megan. This made me cry - that paragraph right before the last photo. Love is pretty fantastic, and building something with someone else is no small thing. Plus, the ice cream: it looks delicious. xoxo
Arthur in the Garden!
Yummy!
Ileana
I love chamomile in desserts. Can't wait to try this!
I am just getting into this business of wedding planning myself and this weekend we picked a date/venue. Wishing you a happy June of planning and ice cream!
Jill
I love your blog and typically do not comment on blogs but please if someone has a home business that requires you to go into a basement or a strange shed .........do not go there unless, as my mother would say "you know them and their people." Your story is funny and I am still laughing but really do not go into a stranger's basement. Congratulations on your engagement. I think marriage is wonderful.
kristie @ birchandwild.com
Chamomile and buttermilk? That sounds like the perfect marriage of flavors. I need to get an ice cream maker, and I need to get one now.
Denise | Chez Danisse
Oh my goodness, that cake tasting! Where do these people come from? Jinkies... All of the fabulous wedding answers will be found in July.