In this dessert, you get the same flavor twice but with different textures: creamy ice cream and slightly chewy strawberry leather. Fruit leathers are an ideal way to incorporate secondary flavors, like herbs, and making leathers is really easy.
Make sure your lavender hasn’t been sprayed
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 on it¿s own or 12 as part of fourplay
Ingredients
For the Strawberry-Lavender Leather
To Serve
Preparation
For the Strawberry-Lavender Leather
Step 1
Heat the oven to 150°F. Line a 9 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat.
Step 2
Hull the strawberries and process them in a food processor to a fine puree.
Step 3
Put the puree and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced by a bit more than half, stirring and scraping often with a heatproof rubber scraper. Work the puree through a fine strainer (discard the solids) and stir in the lavender. Spread into a thin layer on the Silpat.
Step 4
Dry in the oven until leathery, about 4 hours. It will still be slightly tacky and flexible. Let cool.
Step 5
Alternatively, set a dehydrator to 130°F. Line trays with acetate and spray lightly with cooking spray. Spread the puree into thin layers and dry for 3 hours.
Step 6
To make curls, cut 2 x 4-inch-wide strips as soon as you take the leather out of the oven, roll them loosely, and place them in something to hold the shape as it sets. I use baguette forms in the restaurant. You could use something similar at home, or wrap the leather around a rolling pin. It will take about 1 hour to set.
Step 7
If you are not serving right away, peel the strawberry film off the Silpat and lay it on a piece of parchment. Roll it up and wrap in plastic. It will keep for a few days.
To Serve
Step 8
Scoop the ice cream into dessert bowls. Garnish with a curl or piece of the leather and some lavender.
