Lemon Verbena and Garden Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches



Lemon Verbena from my garden, with its intoxicating and unforgetable aroma.

Lemon Verbena Ice Cream

2 ½ cups organic whole milk
2 cups Organic heavy cream
1 ½ cups lemon verbena leaves
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 egg yolks

I sought to impress our friends this weekend at a dinner party; I believe I succeeded! 

Heat milk, cream, lemon verbena and sugar in a medium pot over medium low heat, being careful not to boil. Once hot, remove from heat and steep for 5-10 minutes. Blend mixture, either with an emersion blender or in a blender (this helps infuse the wonderful lemon verbena flavors). Stain through a fine mesh sieve.  Beat egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk in hot cream mixture in slowly, ½ cup at a time. This is called tempering; adding the mixture in all at once would result in scrambled eggs (not sexy in your ice cream). Pour mixture back into pot and heat over medium, stirring, until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat, transfer to large bowl or shallow container to cool. Refrigerate covered to chill completely. Once chilled, place mixture in ice cream maker (may need to do this in batches depending on size) and churn for about 30 minutes, or until mixture is creamy.



Chocolate Cookie:

 ½ cup coconut oil
1/3 cup sucanat
4 packets stevia
1 egg plus 1 white
¾ cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. almond milk
2 Tbsp. dark chocolate mini chunks or chips



Beat coconut oil, sugar and stevia until creamy. Beat in egg and egg white. Stir in remaining ingredients (excepet chocolate chunks). Batter will be thick. Line a pan for foil, leaving a few inches of foil over the rim of the pan. Using a small spatula (dipping it in water every so often helps to prevent sticking) spread batter in a thin layer. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chunks. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes.

Cool cookie and lift from pan; cut into half, trimming to make even. Place one of the cookie halves in a pan lined with either foil or parchment paper.

Spread ice cream over top of cookie, working quickly to prevent melting.

Top with raspberries or other fruit, if desired. My raspberries were from Tracey’s enchanted garden.

Last time I ate raspberries from Tracey’s garden, I was inclined to write about my experience:

This afternoon I ate some fresh picked raspberries from Tracey's garden; their sweetness was almost like placing sugars crystals on the tip of my tongue. Their fragrant aroma was like that of a bouquet of wild flowers delivered on an anniversary morning. The peach like feel of the little morsels gently caressing my lips as I engulfed them one after the other felt like tender tickles. A bright deep red hue on each and every little bit of berry. The crunchy seeds and juicy pulp throughout my palate was enough to recreate even the more distant memories. 

Top with other cookie halve and freeze for at least 3 hours before cutting.

Yes! They are sexy little ice cream sandwiches



Dessert is served!



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