Description
A rich, creamy, and tangy homemade lemon custard ice cream made with fresh lemon juice, zest, and egg yolks for a smooth, velvety texture.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Custard Base:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tsp lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 6 egg yolks
For the Lemon Flavor:
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained (about 5 lemons)
Instructions
- Heat the Cream Mixture – In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Heat over medium-high until bubbles form at the edges. Remove from heat.
- Temper the Egg Yolks – In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly drizzle in the warm cream mixture while whisking constantly.
- Cook Until Thickened – Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Add Lemon Juice – Remove from heat and whisk in the strained fresh lemon juice. Blend for extra smoothness (optional).
- Chill the Custard – Transfer to a container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or use an ice bath to speed up cooling.
- Churn the Ice Cream – Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thick and creamy.
- Freeze & Store – Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press parchment paper onto the surface, and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Notes
- For a stronger lemon flavor, let the zest steep in the cream for an extra 5 minutes before straining.
- To prevent the ice cream from freezing too hard, add 1 tbsp of vodka or limoncello before churning.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Ice Cream Maker
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 165mg