My kids wait for ice cream season all winter long. During those cold months here in Minnesota hot cocoa tides them over, but once the weather warms up, they clamor for ice cream nearly every day. It’s fun to go out and about when the weather is warm. And a nice little jaunt to some of our favorite ice cream shops always seems like a perfect ending to a day.
At home, I’ve been experimenting a lot with my ice cream machine lately. And I’ve come up with some pretty amazing batches– roasted balsamic strawberry was a favorite of mine. The kids loved the malted chocolate with chunks of malted milk balls. I’m sure I’ll get to sharing those recipes at some point. But for now, all four of us agree that this lemon curd ice cream is one of the best ice creams we’ve ever eaten. Full stop. And honestly, if you knew my family, you would know that that really means something.
Making the lemon curd requires an extra step, but it really doesn’t take that long. Just make sure to allow enough time for the curd to cool completely in the refrigerator. You will have a bit of curd leftover, which is a bonus. Freeze it, if you like, or spread it on good bread, pound cake, or pile it on meringues (speaking of which– I have a recipe I’ll share soon for these. Freeze your egg whites from making the ice cream).
My favorite way to serve the ice cream is with a drizzle of good olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, and a touch of fleur de sel (or any good sea salt). The olive oil goes brilliantly with the lemon. Rosemary, lavender, or thyme are all wonderful on top — just a bit, not too much. And the fleur de sel brings all of the flavors together. Together, you get a perfect balance between the sweet and tart flavors. Trust me, you will enjoy this combination. It would also be fabulous made into a cocktail and topped with champagne. Or stick it on a cone. Anyway you serve it will be amazing. Enjoy!
The Recipe: Lemon Curd Ice Cream
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of kosher salt
1 tablespoon (packed) lemon zest
5 egg yolks
1 cup lemon curd (see note)
Note: Substitute lemon for the orange in this recipe. Make sure to allow enough time for the curd to cool completely in the refrigerator. I recommend making it a day ahead of time.
In a large sauce pan, heat 1 cup of cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest together. Bring to a simmer just until tiny bubbles appear. Remove from heat and let infuse for 1 hour. After the hour bring mixture back to a small simmer. Have the egg yolks in a large bowl and slowly ladle half of the milk/cream mixture into the eggs, whisking the entire time. Pour the egg mixture into the the remaining milk/cream mixture in the sauce pan. Cook until the temperature reaches 175°F. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, have a large bowl filled with ice/water and a smaller bowl that will hold all of the ice cream mixture in it. Have the remaining cup of cream in the bowl so it is very chilled (this will help the warm milk/cream mixture cool faster). Place a strainer over the bowl, and pour the milk/cream mixture into the strainer so that it will combine with the remaining cup of cream. Stir the mixture until the temperature reduces to 70°F. Whisk in the lemon curd at this point. Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight. Place into an ice cream maker at this point and follow instructions.
Source: Adapted from this recipe.
Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today!
xo
Laurie
Relishing It 
This one looks amazing…too bad I dont have an icecream machine 😦
I’m sorry to taunt you. Believe it or not, I found one at a garage sale some time ago. Maybe you will have the same great luck that I did!
Oh man, does this ever sound good. Most brilliantly yellow ice cream in the land!
Thank you, Eileen– I absolutely agree with that analysis! 😉
This sounds AMAZING, Laurie! I could live on this all summer!
I could too, Steph! But then my clothes wouldn’t fit. Wah wah. 😦
Laurie – I have made this recipe countless times since you sent it to me – its become one of my go-to, favorite ice cream recipes! And I’ve done an orange curd variety too! I recently made a grapefruit curd for a different recipe, and I’m thinking of trying it out with this ice cream too. Hope you will share some more ice cream recipes over the summer 🙂 Oh and I LOVE your serving suggestions with the olive oil and sea salt – definitely going to try that next time!
You are so sweet, Marisa! I am so happy to hear that it’s become one of your favorites. You must try it with the olive oil and sea salt next time– choose a good, fruity olive oil– it’s to die for! 🙂
[…] will be me one day. Naptime picnic date! (I love this blog.) This ice cream looks amazing. So does this one. And these nachos! And this pizza! Yes! I really cannot get enough of this song this week. I really […]
Oh, my goodness. All I need is a quiet Sunday to putter around my kitchen, blissfully making this ice cream at a slow, leisurely pace, then oh-so-elegantly snarfing up every last bit before my husband even knows it’s here.
Does anyone know where I could find a day like that?
(Kidding. Of course I’m making this immediately, if not sooner…quiet Sundays being in short supply. You are a genius!)
You are too funny, Becki! If you figure out how to get a day like that, please let me in on that secret. Even if you have to actually share the ice cream– it’s worth it. 😉
WOW. This looks incredible! I am going to make it this weekend.
Thank you! I’d love to hear how it turns out!
This sounds amazing, but I’d like to try it without eggs. I’ve been using arrowroot powder for thickening my ice cream for ages, and it gives a nice creamy texture without the added cholesterol. Thanks for sharing this!
Cuisinart makes a very good machine We recently purchased our second and I highly recommend it. It was $39 at Costco (makes 2 quarts). 🙂
Thanks for the info! 🙂
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It has reached 100 degrees, I am so making this and look forward to reading your posts!
This icecream is delicious! thanks for the recipe. I used the extra egg whites to make meringues then crushed them & folded them through when the icecream was done. So good!!!