Lemon ice cream is a refreshing and tangy dessert made with lemon juice, zest, and often a combination of milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks. The citrus flavor of lemon adds a unique tartness, balancing the sweetness of the ice cream. Here’s a simple recipe you can try at home:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
- 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
- Pinch of salt
- 4 large egg yolks
Instructions:
- Heat the cream and milk: In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and half of the sugar. Warm the mixture over medium heat until it’s hot, but not boiling. Stir occasionally.
- Whisk the egg yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until they are pale and slightly thickened.
- Temper the eggs: Slowly pour a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. This will gradually raise the temperature of the yolks without cooking them. Once combined, pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture.
- Cook the custard: Continue cooking the custard over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be careful not to let it boil, or the eggs could scramble.
- Cool the custard: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Let the custard cool to room temperature. For a smoother texture, you can strain the custard to remove the zest.
- Chill: Once cooled, cover the custard and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or until it is thoroughly chilled.
- Churn the ice cream: Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes.
- Freeze: Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for an additional 2-3 hours to firm up before serving.
Tips:
- For a richer texture, you can use a combination of cream and half-and-half instead of just milk.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can place the mixture in a shallow pan and freeze it, stirring every 30 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.
- For an extra zing, you can add a little bit of lemon zest on top just before serving.
Enjoy your homemade lemon ice cream! 🍦🍋
