Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

I have been enjoying a long winter of citrus fruits. Every January, I get a little burst of lemon fever, and it carries me right into the springtime. Here we are, on the very first day of spring, and I have a bit of sweet citrusy heaven to share: Meyer lemon ice cream.

This was my first time ever buying a bag of Meyer lemons. I was mostly surprised by how orange in color they were. I kept reaching into my little bowl of lemons thinking I was going to grab a tangerine. While Meyer lemons are not quite as sour as regular lemons, you could easily substitute regular lemons into this recipe.

I adapted my favorite ice cream recipe to come up with this. It is a custard-based recipe, so it takes a little extra time but the creaminess is so worth it. This ice cream is lemony, but it isn't too tart. The perfect balance of flavors.

Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
• zest from two Meyer lemons
• 2 tbs sugar
• pinch of salt

Whisk the egg yolks briefly in a small bowl. Set a strainer over a heat-proof bowl. Heat the half-and-half and 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, until sugar dissolves. When hot whisk a little of the hot half-and-half into the egg yolks and then whisk warm yolks into the hot mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and quickly strain. Add the heavy cream. Cover the mixture and chill.
Once chilled, stir in the lemon juice, zest, and the 2 tbs of sugar. Add salt. Freeze according to your ice-cream maker's instructions.