Balsam Fir and Honey Ice Cream

I've always loved ice cream and I wanted for a long time to make my own. A lot of recipes are pretty complex since they require to make a custard which I find tricky. So, a few years ago, when I stumbled on the "Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book" and their recipes without custard, I've decided to try them out.

Since then, after some time following their recipes, I have played with them to make them my own. Some takes were not successful, like my Cheetos™ ice cream, while some others were a hit, like my Coffee and Daim™ ice cream.

Here, I am going to show you another hit, my Balsam fir and honey ice cream.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of heavy cream.
• 1 cup of milk.
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.
• 2 large eggs.
• 1/2 cup of liquid honey (I use goldenrod honey).
• 1 tsp of balsam fir shoots powder (they have been dehydrated then milled).

Hardware

• medium saucepan.
• large bowl.
• whisk.
• fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
• ice cream maker (optional).

Combine the milk and the balsam fir powder in a medium saucepan. Heat the mixture until the milk starts bubbling. Pour it in a cold container and let it cool in the fridge.

For best results, you can let it rest overnight. But if you are in a rush, 1 hour is enough. The longer you wait, the stronger the balsam fir flavor will be.

When the milk is cold, strain it.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until they are light and fluffy. Add the sugar and whisk it until it's completely blended. Add the honey and whisk until it's completely blended. At that point, the texture will be very smooth. Add the cream and the milk and whisk until it's completely blended.

Pour the mix in your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer instructions. When the ice cream is ready, pour it in a container and store it in the freezer.

Note it's possible to churn the ice cream without an ice cream maker. I wont explain how to do it since there are a lot of dedicated resources online.

I find that this step is the hardest part. You've finished the job but it's not ready yet. You need to wait at least 6 hours before tasting it. For best results, allow the ice cream to rest for 24 hours.

I won't tell you how to eat your ice cream, so you know what you'll have to do. Whether it's one scoop in a bowl or directly from the container, it does not matter :)