Infused Cream

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

2 cups milk or cream, plus an additional 2 tablespoons if neede

Additional flavoring if desired

Preparation

Pour the milk or cream into a small (I- to 2-quart) saucepan and place it over medium-high heat. Watch the pan carefully. As soon as the milk or cream comes to a full boil, add the herbs and any additional flavoring, push them under the surface of the liquid with a spoon, and immediately remove the pan from the heat.

Cover the pan and let the herbs steep for 30 minutes. If they steep longer, it will have little effect on the flavor, but you should uncover the pan so that the milk or cream can cool faster.

Strain the liquid though a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup, pressing down firmly on the herbs with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid from the leaves. Add fresh milk or cream if needed to measure 2 cups.