Lena's Lunchbox

i’ve gotten pretty tired of people sugarcoating the truth. i feel like i’ve had to deal with it so many times in the past month. sugarcoating might make something “easier to swallow” in the moment, but it’s really just a way to delay reality to a later date. i much prefer sugarcoating in its literal sense. i used a thin crust of sugar to elevate some (edible but not tasty) flowers into a sweet garnish, then placed them onto scoops of no-churn peach ice cream for a gorgeous summer dessert.

ice cream

• 4 large, ripe peaches, halved and pitted
• 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger (optional)
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam

sugared flowers

• freshly picked impatiens or pansies
• 1 egg white
• superfine sugar

for the ice cream, put the pitted peaches into a food processor. process until smooth, about a minute. add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and ginger, and blend for another 30 seconds. pour a third of the mixture into a carton or a large tupperware, then swirl in half of the strawberry jam. top with another third and add the rest of the jam. pour in the rest and freeze for at least 5 hours.

for the sugared flowers, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. place the sugar in a small bowl. whisk the egg white in a small bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of water. pick the stem off of each flower, then use tweezers to dip a flower gently into the egg white. still holding it with the tweezers, sprinkle some sugar onto both sides of the flower (don’t dip it into the sugar — it will clump). lay them face up on the baking sheet and let dry for at least 8 hours.

serve scoops of the ice cream with a few flowers on top!