Give Your Homemade Ice Cream Springtime Flare With A Floral Addition

If you're ready to take your homemade ice cream to new levels, both aesthetically and in taste, you're going to want to invest in some edible flowers as soon as possible. These beautiful little petals don't just make food look whimsical, like it was whipped up in a fairy garden, but they bring a gorgeous taste and smell to the experience as well.

They don't bring a massive punch of flavor though; it's more like a whisper, so ideally, you'll want to use them on a basic ice cream flavor such as vanilla or coconut so that the floral notes can come through. And for reference, there's a lot of different flavors available to you. Lavender is very gentle and floral, red clover has a sort of licorice taste, and you'll want to steer clear of nasturtiums and their strong peppery hit. It's all about experimenting and finding the best combinations for your palate.

And don't worry if you don't have an appliance that crafts ice cream. Whether it's the classic two-bag trick or a Mason jar shake-fest, there are several ways you can make ice cream without a machine. You can even make homemade ice cream in a bag with special salt.

If you've never cooked with edible flowers before, there are 17 edible flowers you absolutely must know about; this knowledge will save you from tossing garden daisies into your ice cream and wondering why it came out tasting like grass. Edible flowers bring a very soft and delicate flavor, but you will need some texture to keep each bite interesting. Just imagine the possibilities! Pistachios would pair well with lavender, lemon with violet, honey with chamomile, and rose with chocolate.

And here's an important detail: Edible flowers will more than likely lose color when they're cooked or frozen. So if you are looking for that pretty pop of pink or purple, the key is to add a few fresh petals at the end or right before serving, not as you're whipping up the ice cream in the first place. But if for some reason you have to incorporate the petals earlier, you can always cheat a little and use a drop of food coloring to match the vibe you're going for.