Silky Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream Recipe

Golden Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream Recipe: Summer’s Sweet Joy

Creamy desserts often spark unexpected culinary adventures, and this smooth dandelion & honey ice cream recipe brings wild elegance to your kitchen.

Foragers and sweet-tooth enthusiasts will adore the delicate balance of floral notes dancing across each spoonful.

Dandelions, those humble backyard flowers, become a sophisticated ingredient that surprises and delights.

The golden honey weaves through the mixture, creating a luxurious texture that melts effortlessly on your tongue.

Gathering fresh dandelion blossoms transforms an ordinary afternoon into a gourmet exploration.

This recipe celebrates seasonal ingredients with a touch of whimsy and pure deliciousness.

You’ll want to savor every silky, sweet bite of this extraordinary frozen treat.

Everything For Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream

For Base Dairy Components:
  • Cream: Rich foundation that carries delicate dandelion flavor and creates smooth texture.
  • Milk: Softens cream's intensity and adds lightness to the ice cream base.
For Floral and Sweet Elements:
  • Dandelion Petals: Introduces subtle herbal notes and unique wildflower essence, best picked from untreated gardens.
  • Honey: Natural sweetener that complements dandelion's earthy taste and provides smooth consistency.
For Custard Enrichers:
  • Egg Yolks: Creates luxurious, silky texture and helps stabilize the ice cream's structure.
  • Vanilla: Enhances overall flavor complexity and adds warm, rounded undertones.
  • Salt: Balances sweetness and amplifies all ingredient profiles with a tiny pinch.

Helpful Gear For Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream

  • Large saucepan: Perfect for gently heating and infusing cream with delicate dandelion petals.
  • Whisk: Essential for smoothly blending egg yolks with honey and tempering the mixture.
  • Fine-mesh strainer: Crucial for removing dandelion petals and ensuring silky smooth cream.
  • Mixing bowl: Needed for combining ingredients and tempering egg yolks.
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula: Great for stirring custard while preventing scorching.
  • Ice cream maker: Key tool for churning the custard into creamy, dreamy ice cream.
  • Freezer-safe container: Ideal for storing and setting your homemade ice cream.
  • Instant-read thermometer: Helpful for checking precise custard temperature (optional).

Steps To Make Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream

  • Prepare Dandelion Cream

Gather fresh dandelion petals and gently heat them with cream and milk in a saucepan. Let the flowers dance and release their delicate flavor for 20-30 minutes, creating a magical infusion that will transform your ice cream.

  • Create Silky Custard Base

Whisk golden egg yolks with smooth honey until they blend into a luxurious mixture. Slowly introduce warm cream to the yolks, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Pour this heavenly combination back into the pan and cook carefully until it thickens like a velvety sauce.

  • Chill and Enhance

Remove from heat and stir in a splash of vanilla and a whisper of salt. Refrigerate the mixture until it’s completely cool, allowing the flavors to mingle and develop depth.

  • Churn to Perfection

Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and let it spin and transform into a creamy dream. Watch as the mixture becomes light and airy, capturing the essence of summer flowers.

  • Freeze and Savor

Transfer the churned ice cream to a container and let it rest in the freezer for 24 hours. When ready, scoop out a delightful serving that combines the wild sweetness of dandelions with rich, smooth cream.

Tips To Sweeten Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream

  • Dandelion Delight Tweaks: Elevate Your Frozen Treat
  • Petal Perfection: Gently rinse dandelion petals to remove any dirt or tiny insects before infusing, ensuring a clean and pure flavor profile.
  • Honey Harmony: Choose local, raw honey for a more complex and nuanced sweetness that complements the delicate floral notes of the dandelion petals.
  • Dairy-Free Magic: Swap dairy cream and milk with coconut milk and cream for a luscious vegan version that maintains the recipe's creamy texture.
  • Flavor Boosters: Sprinkle toasted pistachios or lavender buds on top for an extra layer of texture and complementary botanical flavors that enhance the dandelion's subtle taste.
  • Foraging Tips: When collecting dandelion petals, select flowers from areas free of pesticides and away from road pollution to ensure the purest, safest ingredients.

Best Ways To Serve Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream

  • Wildflower Picnic Delight: Serve this delicate ice cream on a rustic wooden board with fresh dandelion flowers scattered around, creating a whimsical countryside presentation.
  • Honey Companion Treat: Pair the ice cream with honeycomb chunks, drizzled lavender honey, or crisp almond biscuits to enhance the natural sweetness and floral notes.
  • Elegant Dessert Finale: Present in small vintage glass bowls or delicate porcelain cups, garnished with edible flower petals and a light sprinkle of bee pollen for added texture and visual appeal.
  • Summer Garden Refresh: Serve chilled on a warm afternoon alongside herbal tea or as a palate-cleansing dessert after a light Mediterranean-inspired meal, celebrating the delicate essence of spring and summer.

Storage Tips For Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream

  • Flavor Preservation Tactics: Transfer churned ice cream to an airtight container with minimal air space to prevent ice crystal formation.
  • Freezer Smart Storage: Keep ice cream in the coldest part of the freezer, typically at the back, away from temperature fluctuations near the door.
  • Quick Consumption Guide: Best enjoyed within 1-2 weeks for optimal taste and texture. After two weeks, flavor intensity and smoothness may gradually decline.
  • Serving Temperature Hack: Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 3-5 minutes before scooping to achieve a creamy, soft consistency that glides effortlessly.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 6 hours

Calories: 320 kcal

Servings: 5

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Silky Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream Recipe

Silky Dandelion & Honey Ice Cream Recipe


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4.7 from 24 reviews

  • Total Time: 6 hours
  • Yield: 5 1x

Description

Creamy dandelion & honey ice cream blends wild foraged flowers with sweet local nectar. Smooth Italian-style gelato offers pure countryside elegance for adventurous palates seeking botanical dessert experiences.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 ½ cups (354 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups (354 ml) whole milk
  • 1 cup packed dandelion petals (yellow parts only, green sepals removed)
  • ½ cup (170 g) raw honey
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Petal Preparation: Meticulously harvest pesticide-free dandelion blossoms, delicately separating vibrant yellow petals from green stems.
  2. Cream Infusion: Gently warm cream and milk with collected dandelion petals, allowing floral essence to permeate liquid for half an hour, creating an aromatic herbal base.
  3. Strain and Temper: Press petals through a fine-mesh sieve to extract maximum flavor, then whisk egg yolks and honey until smooth and pale, gradually incorporating warm cream to prevent curdling.
  4. Custard Development: Continuously stir the combined mixture over low heat, developing a luxurious, velvety custard that thickens and transforms into a rich, silky texture.
  5. Flavor Enhancement: Remove from heat, incorporating vanilla and a subtle salt pinch to elevate the overall flavor profile, then thoroughly chill the custard in the refrigerator to allow ingredients to harmonize.
  6. Churning Process: Transfer the cold custard to an ice cream maker, transforming the liquid into a creamy, aerated dessert following manufacturer’s recommended churning guidelines.
  7. Freezing and Presentation: Carefully transfer the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, smooth the surface, and freeze for 24 hours to achieve the perfect scoopable consistency, then serve in chilled bowls adorned with delicate fresh dandelion petals.

Notes

  • Harvest Wisely: Choose dandelion petals from clean, pesticide-free areas away from roads or urban pollution to ensure pure, safe flavor.
  • Infusion Technique: Steep dandelion petals slowly and gently to extract delicate floral notes without introducing bitterness or overwhelming herbal intensity.
  • Tempering Mastery: Add warm cream to egg mixture incrementally and whisk constantly to prevent scrambling and create a smooth, silky custard base.
  • Freezing Finesse: Allow ice cream to rest in the freezer for at least 24 hours to develop optimal texture and allow flavors to fully integrate and mature.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Mixing
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5
  • Calories: 320
  • Sugar: 30 g
  • Sodium: 30 mg
  • Fat: 22 g
  • Saturated Fat: 13 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 35 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 6 g
  • Cholesterol: 210 mg
Olivia Bennett

Olivia Bennett

Co-Founder & Content Creator

Expertise

Nutritional Analysis​, Dietary Accommodations​, Food Writing and Blogging​,

Education

University of Texas at Austin

  • Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nutrition
  • Focus: Emphasis on dietary planning, food science, and the relationship between nutrition and health.​

Institute of Culinary Education, New York, NY

  • Program: Plant-Based Culinary Arts Certificate
  • Focus: Specialized training in vegetarian and vegan cooking techniques, emphasizing whole foods and sustainability.​

Olivia Bennett is Cooking Crusade’s go-to expert for nutritious, feel-good food. Based in Austin, she blends her degree in Nutrition from the University of Texas with plant-based culinary training from the Institute of Culinary Education.

Olivia’s recipes are all about balance: vibrant, wholesome, and easy-to-love dishes that work for all kinds of eaters. Her mission is simple: to make healthy eating approachable and genuinely tasty, with tips that support your lifestyle, not complicate it.

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