Homemade lemongrass and ginger ice cream

I love the flavours of lemongrass and ginger on its own and they are even better when brought together. A lemongrass and ginger iced tea is just the perfect drink to uplift and refresh one’s mind and body on a warm day while a hot lemongrass and ginger tea warms and soothes one’s soul in the evening (and it’s even better since it’s caffeine free).

This lemongrass and ginger ice-cream is a more indulgent version of its tea counterpart. I replaced some of the sugar with honey for some mild sweetness with floral accents and threw in some candied ginger bits for that additional mild heat and spiciness.

I really like this ice-cream. It may not be as rich and decadent as the dark chocolate sorbet or as refreshing as the kiwi sorbet. However, it has a bold flavour that comes through the creaminess of the ice-cream. It has an incredible effect for me for it brings to mind the calming cup of lemongrass ginger tea served post-spa sessions.

Yes, I think that is what does it for me.

Recipe: Lemongrass and ginger ice cream
(Adapted from David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop)
Makes 1/2 litre tub

I tweaked David Lebovitz’s vanilla ice cream recipe, replaced some sugar with about a tablespoonful of honey because I think honey goes well with lemongrass and ginger.

Ingredients:
3 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 3″ length and bruised
a thumb length of ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4″ rounds
125ml whole milk
15g leatherwood honey (or any you like)
130g sugar
250ml heavy cream
pinch salt
3 large egg yolks

candied ginger (optional)

Method:

1. Warm the milk, sugar, honey, half the amount of cream and salt in a medium sauce pan. Add in the bruised lemongrass stalks and sliced ginger. Cover and let the flavours infuse at room temperature for about 20 – 30 minutes.

2. Pour the remaining half of the cream into a large bowl and set a strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Pour in the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Pour the thickened mixture into a strainer, remove the lemongrass and ginger pieces, and stir the strained mixture into the cream. Stir till cool over an ice bath.

4. Chill the mixture thoroughly ( I like to put it in the refrigerator for about an hour at least). Freeze the mixture in your ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.