Lemon Verbena Ice Cups Recipes

Steps:

• Bring verbena, milk, cream, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, then remove from heat and let steep, covered, 30 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs and sugar until combined, then whisk in verbena mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens slightly and registers 175°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil).
• Immediately strain thourough a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids. Cool custard, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, then chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, about 1 hour.

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients in a blender (not a food processor); blend on high speed for several minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, pressing any solids dry with the back of a spoon. Pour it into a small container and freeze until solid, about 6 hours.
• To serve, scrape the ice lightly with a soup spoon to create a flaky texture similar to that of a granite. Serve immediately alongside or atop 20 to 24 freshly shucked oysters on the half shell.

Steps:

• Fill 2 ice trays halfway with water, and freeze. Top each cube with a lemon verbena leaf, cover with water, and freeze for up to 1 week.

Steps:

• In heavy stainless-steel pot, combine lemon verbena leaves, half-and-half and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring, and remove immediately from heat. Cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.
• In stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar. While continuously whisking, strain the half-and-half mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into the egg yolks.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan. Over medium-low heat, stir continuously with wooden spoon until custard thickens, about 2 minutes.
• Strain custard into a bowl that is sitting in a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and water. Add heavy cream. Cool and chill. Freeze in an ice-cream maker.

Steps:

• Make your Earl Grey tea, with loose tea or tea bags, if you must! Then add the dried lemon verbena, or 10 large fresh lemon verbena leaves, stir well and allow to infuse for 10 minutes.
• Put the freshly brewed Earl Grey tea, single cream and milk into a pan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until they thicken and pale. Remove the milk mixture from the heat, then whisk it into the egg mix.
• Put the whole lot back onto a gentle heat until it thickens, stirring very regularly. On no account should you let this boil, otherwise the eggs will scramble. Set it aside to cool with a dampened circle of greaseproof paper on the top, to stop a skin forming.
• When cool, either churn in an ice cream maker, adding the whipping cream towards the end of churning, or pour into a freezer-proof container, then cover it and freeze until half frozen. At this point, scoop it into a bowl, then whisk up the whipping cream and fold it into the ice cream. Put it back into the freezer until it is of ice cream consistency. You can repeat this as often as you can be bothered, to reduce the amount of crystals in the finished ice cream.
• Remove from the freezer at least 10 minutes before serving. Store for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Steps:

• Prepare the ice milk: heat milk and 3/4 cup sugar in a heavy pan until bubbles form around the milk edges, then remove from heat. Crush lemon verbena leaves in your fists. Add to milk; steep 5 minutes. Taste the mixture; add more leaves if desired. Strain and chill.
• Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, slowly add 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to whip until peaks are shiny. Whisk the egg whites into the milk mixture and pour into an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Make the granita: in a pan, bring 3/4 cup water and 6 tablespoons sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Purée halved berries in a food processor; strain.
• In a bowl, mix together strawberries, sugar syrup and lemon juice. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if needed. Pour into a wide shallow container, and place in the freezer for an hour. Remove the granita and scrape the ice with a fork. Repeat every hour six times, until granita is fluffy and icy.
• To serve, toss quartered strawberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Let sit 5 minutes. Scoop lemon verbena ice milk into chilled dessert bowls, and sprinkle the strawberry granita over the top. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices.