Ice cream proves your woes can be licked

Sometimes, hope comes in a cone. For several years now, creameries worldwide have been serving up scoops of libido boosters, touting their varied concoctions as “Viagra ice cream.” Deflated Don Juans in Venezuela can indulge in an herb-infused frozen fix-it, while the legendarily virile Italians can up the ante with electric-blue gelato. Stateside, the sexually challenged can seek relief at Udder Delight in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where the “ED” treat is finished with a clever explosion of Pop Rocks.

While I have no first-person experience in whether these delicious dips make for yummy desserts, I still find these freezer panaceas enticing because of the ingenuity involved. Creativity with chilled cream is a tasty aphrodisiac, especially when swirled with the shamelessness of feasting upon a performance-enhancing sundae.

My own carnal cravings lean toward dark, sweet, and bad for me, decadent desires temporarily satiated with Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra. Haagen-Dazs’ Sticky Toffee Pudding reminds me how delightful rich and foreign can be, but it’s Starbucks Mud Pie that makes the lowdown dirty girl in me rejoice in a few slow, lingering licks. See, for me, ice cream is like sex: There are endless flavors to be savored besides basic vanilla.

And as for the claims of an impotency-busting ice cream – well, you may just want to think of it as deep-freeze foreplay.

Lavender Honey Ice Cream

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon fresh lavender

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup honey

1/8 teaspoon salt

Whisk together half-and-half, cream, and lavender in a saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 1 to 2 hours. Strain, discard lavender, and bring to simmer again.

In a large bowl, lightly beat together egg yolks, honey and salt. Slowly add cream mixture one cup at a time. Pour egg and cream mixture into a large saucepan and again simmer over low to medium heat, stirring constantly for about 3-5 minutes, until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Strain again into a clean bowl and let cool, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Then cover tightly and chill for at least 4 hours before processing in an ice cream maker using manufacturer’s instructions.

If desired, halfway through the churning process, add about 3/4 cup roughly chopped pieces of high quality dark chocolate. Yum.