My friend Dixon’s mom has a Meyer lemon tree. Every December she sends him lots of Meyer lemons and, fortunately, he shares them with me. When I have Meyer lemons, I love to make this Meyer lemon ice cream. It is the perfect blend of tart and sweet. It makes the perfect end to a holiday meal!
Equipment notes*
I use a double boiler when I make the custard. It keeps the heat more even, so find I’m less likely to curdle the custard if I get distracted and walk away for a minute. You don’t have to use a double boiler, but if you don’t, just make sure you pay attention to your custard while it cooks.
To zest the lemons, a microplane works best. Also, I love to use this oblong ice cream tub. The oblong shape makes it easy to scoop out the perfect scoop.
Skip to step-by-step instructions and photos.
Meyer Lemon Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3/4 c. cream
- 1 1/2 c. whole milk
- 1 c. sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 Meyer Lemons
Directions
- Step 1 Heat milk and cream over medium heat to almost a simmer (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Step 2 Fill bottom of double boiler with 1/2 inch of water and heat over low heat. In top section of the double boiler whisk together egg yolks and sugar until mixture is a pale yellow and creamy.
- Step 3 Place pan with egg yolks on top of the pan with heated water. Keep heat on low and slowly whisk in the warm milk. Stir occasionally while the custard cooks. Do not let the custard boil or it will curdle. The custard is ready when the foam subsides and the custard coats the back of a spoon (180°-185°). The custard can take 40 minutes or more over low heat.
- Step 4 While custard cooks, zest the lemons and set aside. Then squeeze juice from the lemons into a measuring cup. You should have 2-3 tsp. of zest and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of lemon juice.
- Step 5 When custard is done, remove from heat. Stir in the zest. Add 1/2 c. of lemon juice. Taste and add additional juice to adjust taste to your liking. Cover and place custard in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or over night to cool. If you need to speed up the cooling process, put the pan in an ice water bath for 20-30 min before putting in the fridge.
- Step 6 Freeze the custard. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your ice cream freezer. Mine takes about 40-50 min to freeze.
- Step 7 Put ice cream freezer in container and place in freezer for 1-2 hours before serving.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Heat milk and cream over medium heat to almost a simmer (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
Step 2. Fill bottom of double boiler with 1/2 inch of water and heat over low heat. In top section of the double boiler whisk together egg yolks and sugar until mixture is a pale yellow and creamy.
Step 3. Place pan with egg yolks on top of the pan with heated water. Keep heat on low and slowly whisk in the warm milk. Stir occasionally while the custard cooks. Do not let the custard boil or it will curdle. The custard is ready when the foam subsides and the custard coats the back of a spoon (180°-185°).The custard can take 40 minutes or more over low heat. If you are in a hurry, you can increase the heat to medium low, but watch your custard closely – it can cook in 15 minutes and the foam may not completely subside before the custard is done. If your custard curdles, see these tips from Cook’s Illustrated on how to fix your custard.
Step 4. While custard cooks, zest the lemons and set aside. A microplane works best to zest the lemons. Squeeze juice from the lemons into a measuring cup. You should have 2-3 tsp. of zest and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of lemon juice.
Step 5. When custard is done, remove from heat. Stir in the zest. Add 1/2 c. of lemon juice. Taste and add additional juice to adjust taste to your liking. Cover and place custard in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or over night to cool. If you need to speed up the cooling process, put the pan in an ice water bath for 20-30 min before putting in the fridge.
Step 6. Freeze the custard. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your ice cream freezer. Mine takes about 40-50 min to freeze.
Step 7. Put ice cream freezer in container and place in freezer for 1-2 hours before serving.
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