From the blog For Love of the Table
1 1/2 c. (225g.) blueberries
1/4 c. (50 g.) sugar
1/2 T. lemon juice
2 c. milk
Pinch of salt
10 g. lemon verbena leaves, cut cross-wise in rough 1/2-inch pieces (you should have about 3/4 c. loosely layered cut leaves)
2 c. cold heavy cream
8 egg yolks
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. raw honey (4 oz.)
Wash the blueberries and place them in a small saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice. Set the pan over moderately high heat and cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries begin to simmer. Cook at an active simmer/low boil, stirring occasionally (and mashing the berries as you do), until you have a thick, syrup-y compote. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes and you should have 3/4 c. compote when you are done.. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to a covered container and chill until cold. (Compote may be made several days ahead. Store in the refrigerator.)
Place the milk and salt in a medium-sized, non-reactive saucepan. Heat to just under a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the verbena leaves, cover and let steep for an hour to an hour and a half (depending on how strong you want the flavor to be).
When ready to make the ice cream base, strain out the verbena, pressing hard with a spatula or ladle to extract as much of the liquid as you can. Discard the verbena. Place the chilled heavy cream into a large bowl and place the strainer used to strain out the verbena over this bowl.
Return the infused milk to the heat and bring to a boil. While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth and thick. When the milk boils, temper the egg yolks by gradually whisking in about half to two-thirds of the hot milk. Stir the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and place the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the custard is thickened and forms a path when you draw your finger across the back of the spoon (if you like. you may check the temperature with an instant read thermometer—it should be about 170° to 175°).
Immediately strain the custard into the bowl of cold cream. Add the honey and stir until the honey has melted. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (eight hours or overnight).
Freeze the ice cream in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When finished, transfer the ice cream from the churn to a chilled container. Choose a 1 1/2 to 2 quart container that is shallow and wide. Working quickly, layer in a quarter of the verbena ice cream (smooth it out into an even layer). Dollop and drizzle a scant third of the blueberry compote. It is not necessary to marble it in (it will marble naturally as you scoop it to serve it). Repeat this layering of a quarter of the ice cream and a scant third of the compote two more times. Add the remainder of ice cream, once again smoothing it out. You should have a tablespoon or two of the compote left. Dollop this over the surface of the ice cream, marbling it in a bit, if you like. Cover the container and place in the freezer. Freeze for at least an hour or two before serving.
Makes about a quart and a half of ice cream.
Note: My original idea for this ice cream was to just use a homemade blueberry jam for the swirl. All of the jam makers out there know that this basically means using a substantially higher quantity of sugar (for this quantity of blueberries, around 1/2 cup plus 2 T.). The texture of the frozen ribbon of blueberries when made with this higher quantity of sugar is quite smooth and suave. Unfortunately, the overall effect on the ice cream is one of tooth shattering sweetness (at least to my palate). If your berries are very tart, you might consider increasing the sugar in the compote. For moderately tart blueberries though, I love the counterpoint of the sweet, floral ice cream with the slightly tart swirl of fruit, and I am not bothered by the slight frosty-ness of the swirl when the blueberries are cooked with the lesser amount of sugar.
http://www.forloveofthetable.com/2018/07/a-sweet-summer-treat-from-garden-lemon.html
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