Lemon Ice Cream
🛠 Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Kitchen thermometer
- Ice cream maker
- Freezer container
🛒 Ingredients
| 400 ml | Whole milk | |
| 200 ml | Heavy cream | |
| 5 | Egg yolks | |
| 140 g | Granulated sugar | |
| 3 | Untreated lemons | |
| 1 tsp | Vanilla extract | |
| 1 pinch | Fine salt |
Preparation
Step 1: Prepare the lemons
Wash the lemons thoroughly. Finely zest two lemons and juice all three to get about 150 ml of juice.
Keep the juice refrigerated. Set aside a few whole strips of zest for the final decoration — you can candy them or let them dry slightly.
Step 2: Infuse the milk
Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract.
Gently bring to a simmer, turn off the heat, cover and let infuse for 15 minutes. The zest will perfume the whole mixture.
Step 3: Whisk the yolks
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and the pinch of salt until pale and ribbon-like.
Pour the warm infused milk in a thin stream over the yolks, whisking constantly so they don’t cook abruptly. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the zest.
Step 4: Cook the custard
Return everything to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula.
The custard is ready when it coats the spatula and reaches 83°C (181°F). Remove from heat immediately and cool quickly over an ice bath, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Churn and freeze
Once the custard is well chilled, stir in the reserved lemon juice. Pour into the ice cream maker and churn for 25 to 30 minutes until soft-serve consistency.
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 3 hours. Take the ice cream out 10 minutes before serving — it will be easier to scoop and more aromatic. Garnish with candied zest.
💡 Tips & variations
- Use untreated lemons: the zest is infused in the milk, so it must be flawless.
- Never go above 85°C (185°F) for the custard — the yolks will curdle and the ice cream will lose its silkiness.
- Always add the lemon juice after cooking, when cold — otherwise it will curdle the custard.
- No ice cream maker? Pour the mixture into a container and stir with a fork every 45 minutes for 3 hours.
❓ Frequently asked questions
How long does this recipe take?
4h25 (25 min prep).
How many servings does this make?
6 servings.
How difficult is this recipe?
hard.
How do I store this dessert?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Take it out 15 min before serving for the best texture.
