This tasty ice cream makes for one heavenly, rich, and dreamy citrus delight!
I just love a citrus dessert. For me, this has been the year of discovering the power of cool, cold, creamy, deliciously frozen lemon desserts. And this ice cream is a stunner.
When I was in cooking school, I was surprised to see my fellow chef grating lemon peel into an icing. I said, “Why are you doing that, chef?” And he said, “Rhonda, the zest is where the flavor is—and the aroma.“
And you’ll find yourself simply whisked away by the clean, crisp, lemony scent of lemons as you grate them into this cool, delicious ice-cream recipe. The sweet sugar against that tart lemon and dreamy, rich heavy cream and whole milk makes for the most delicious interplay of flavors, bitter against sweet, tart against luscious …. it’s simply heaven on a spoon.
And this recipe brings the lemon flavor not just one—but two ways, both from the tart, bright taste of lemon juice from a freshly squeezed lemon and also a whole tablespoon of that flavor-rich, heady lemon zest. Combined with the sweet, rich heavy cream and whole milk—and two-thirds of a cup of sugar to sweeten all that tartness, you’re going to have a dish of sheer lemon heaven all scooped, lovely, cool, and inviting for you and your family to dive into. Then, watch as they sit back happy, awed, and astounded at your lemon artistry.
Why You And Your Family Will Adore This Lemon Ice Cream
Using a whole half cup of fresh lemon juice and fresh, grated lemon zest makes this the most lemony ice cream you’ve ever tasted, not to mention the combination of heavy cream against wholesome milk and a dash of vanilla to round out the flavor profile, just right.
Lemon ice cream is the perfect dessert to follow a spicy meal or a rich, savory one. I love serving it with this delicious Two-Layer Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting. Or serve a mini scoop at an elegant dinner party as an intermezzo to cleanse the palate before, say, an entree where you really want everyone to pay attention.
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store
Once you’ve made your lemon ice cream, it will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, though no doubt it will be eaten long before then!
Is The Lemon Zest Essential?
As mentioned before, lemon zest brings so much flavor to the ice cream. If you decide to skip it, you’d certainly be missing out.
Can I Try This With Other Citrus Fruits?
The ratio of juice, zest and other ingredients here will work for most other citrus fruits, too. Try it with mandarin oranges, or maybe even key limes.
Serving Suggestions
Try serving this lemon ice cream after a sumptuous dinner of Air-Fryer Chuck Roast with these Mashed Sweet Potatoes and a Delicious Asparagus Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. For dessert, enjoy this amazingly cool and tart lemon ice cream served alongside these delicious Strawberry-Lemon Bars.
Lemon Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, milk, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
- Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving to soften slightly for easier scooping.
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