It's a Mouthful: Honey Lavender Ricotta Ice Cream

I promised the E's that I would make ice cream this evening. I chose lavender. It is still churning but in liquid form it tasted so delicate and lovely. To borrow from my fav show, Yo Gabba Gabba...
YUMMY, So YUMMY YUMMY!
Here is the, er, scoop.
Infusing the syrup with lavender imparts a subtle floral flavor to this ice cream. Look for fresh ricotta cheese at gourmet markets, or you can make your own—go to CookingLight.com for our homemade version. It lends the ice cream wonderful richness. Garnish with lavender sprigs.

Yield
1 1/2 quarts (serving size: about 1/2 cup ice cream)

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon dried lavender blossoms
3 cups fresh ricotta cheese (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. Combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 45 seconds or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in lavender. Let stand 30 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Cover and chill 1 hour.

2. Combine fresh ricotta cheese, honey, and salt in a food processor; process until smooth. With processor on, slowly add lavender syrup through the food chute. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 4 hours or until firm.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
190 (29% from fat)
Fat:
6.2g (sat 3.8g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.2g)
Protein:
11.5g
Carbohydrate:
23g
Fiber:
0.0g
Cholesterol:
23mg
Iron:
0.0mg
Sodium:
240mg
Calcium:
250mg
Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, Cooking Light, MAY 2008