Blueberry Lemon Verbena Ice Cream Swirl

Blueberry Lemon Verbena Ice Cream Swirl with Red Belly Honey

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons whole milk, divided use
• ¼ cup glucose*
• 1½ cups sugar, divided use
• 3 tablespoons milk powder
• 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup cream cheese
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 3 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 sprigs lemon verbena
• 2 tablespoons Red Belly Honey

Combine cream, 1½ cups milk, and glucose in a heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to a simmer. Combine ¾ cup sugar with the milk powder and whisk into the dairy and cook for 5 minutes.

Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons milk into cornstarch to make a slurry and whisk into the simmering milk. Cook for 2 minutes.

Transfer mixture into a bowl and place in an ice bath. When cooled, strain into a blender and add cream cheese. Blend until smooth and refrigerate until cold or overnight.

Meanwhile, make the lemon blueberry sauce by rubbing remaining ¾ cup sugar with lemon zest to release oils. Toss the sugar mixture with the blueberries, lemon juice and lemon verbena and macerate at room temperature while the ice cream base cools or overnight refrigerated.

In a shallow saucepan, bring the fruit mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes; cool, remove lemon verbena and puree. At this point, you can strain the puree if desired. Stir in honey; refrigerate until cold. This step can be done a few days in advance.

Process ice cream base in an ice cream machine for 20 minutes or according to manufacturer’s directions. Layer one-third of the ice cream in a loaf pan or shallow container, top with blueberry puree and repeat. Freeze until set but not firm and swirl with a knife. Chill for another 2 hours before serving. When the ice cream is completely frozen, let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Makes about 1 ½ quarts.

*Glucose can be ordered on Amazon or found at Michaels craft stores. Or it can be made by combining 4 cups sugar, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and simmering until the temperature reaches 245° F.

Adapted from “Hello, My Name Is Ice Cream” by Dana Cree of Pretty Cool Ice Cream, Chicago