Basil Vanilla Ice Cream

1. Combine the sugar, milk and basil in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer.
2. Then remove it from the heat, cover, and set it aside for 30 minutes or up to one hour (to let the milk be infused with the basil flavour).
3. Drain the milk from the basil (and squeeze any milk out of the basil leaves and stalks too) and leave it aside. Discard the basil.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and add the basil infused milk, along with the vanilla. Return the milk to a saucepan and heat it gently while stirring, until the custard thickens. If the custard is able to coat the back of a spoon and you can trace a clean path on it with your finger, then the custard is done.
5. Stir in the whipping cream with the custard. Place half of this mixture in a blender, and add the 10g of Basil leaves and pulse until the basil leaves are blended with the mix.
6. Return the basil mix back with the rest of the ice cream, and let this mix sit in the fridge to chill for at least a few hours or overnight (preferred)
7. Churn according to your ice cream maker's instructions.

No Ice-Cream machine? No problem!

1. Transfer the custard into a flat bottomed, large dish with a lid and keep it in the freezer.
2. Every hour, check on the custard and break the hardened sides with a fork at first, and with a hand held beater later, until the ice cream sets completely.