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Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Waymond Wesley II
A bright, structurally stable lemon curd ice cream engineered for clean acidity, controlled fat destabilization, and smooth melt.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine French

Equipment

  • Cuisinart ICE-100 Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker

Ingredients
  

Lemon Steeped Cream

  • 53 g lemon zest
  • 400 g heavy cream

Neutral Ice Cream Base

  • 447.05 g whole milk
  • 292.20 g lemon steeped cream
  • 60.00 g NFMS (Nonfat milk solids)
  • 40.00 g egg yolk
  • 150.00 g sucrose (granulated sugar)
  • 5.00  g salt
  • 0.80 g high-acyl gellan
  • 0.11 g kappa carrageenan
  • 0.04 g iota carrageenan
  • 0.30 g polysorbate 80
  • 1.50 g mono-/diglycerides

Acidity

  • 1.80 g citric acid
  • 1.20 g malic acid

Instructions
 

Phase 1 — Lemon Steeped Cream (Volatile Extraction)

  • Preheat a sous vide bath to 140°F (60°C).
  • Peel the lemons using a serrated peeler, removing only the outer yellow zest. Avoid pith. Do not microplane; larger strips limit oxidation and bitterness.
  • Combine the heavy cream and lemon zest. Blend for 4–5 seconds only to lightly increase surface area. Do not whip, aerate, or fully pulverize the zest.
  • Transfer the mixture into a 100-micron filter bag, then place that inside a vacuum bag. Remove air and seal.
  • Submerge in the 140°F bath and steep for 1 hour.
  • Remove from the bath and strain immediately while hot, pressing firmly to extract all infused cream. Do not allow the zest to sit in warm cream longer than necessary.
  • Set aside. Keep warm if proceeding directly to base assembly.

Phase 2 — Neutral Ice Cream Base (Hydration & Pasteurization)

  • Increase the sous vide bath temperature to 185°F (85°C).
  • In a high-speed blender, first combine the dry components (milk solids, sugar, salt, stabilizers, and emulsifiers). Blend briefly to disperse and eliminate clumping.
  • Add the whole milk and egg yolk. Blend 7–10 seconds until fully homogeneous. Avoid excessive aeration.
  • Transfer the base to a vacuum bag and seal flat to ensure even heat penetration.
  • Submerge in the 185°F bath and hold for 30 minutes to complete pasteurization and fully hydrate the hydrocolloids.
  • Do not add acid during this stage.

Phase 3 — Acid Integration & Final Emulsification

  • Remove the neutral base from the bath. While it is still hot, add:
  • The lemon steeped cream
  • The citric and malic acids
  • Blend or use an immersion blender just until uniform. Do not overwork. The goal is complete integration while the stabilizers remain fluid and before viscosity increases.
  • Immediately transfer the mixture to an ice bath and chill rapidly until fully cold. Rapid cooling arrests structural drift.

Phase 4 — Aging

  • Once fully chilled, seal and refrigerate for 8–16 hours minimum.
A longer cure (up to ~24 hours) remains acceptable but does not materially improve structure beyond that window.
  • Do not strain after aging.

Phase 5 — Churning & Hardening

  • Churn according to your machine’s specifications until the ice cream reaches approximately 19–20°F and achieves proper body.
  • Transfer to a container and harden for 8–16 hours before serving.
  • Serve.

Notes

Optional Workflow Note — For Those With Two Sous Vide Circulators
  • If you own two circulators, you may run the 140°F lemon steep and the 185°F base hydration simultaneously.
  • Expect roughly a 15–20 minute overlap once both systems reach temperature.
  • This saves modest time but is not required.
  • The single-bath workflow above reflects the intended method and works perfectly.
Keyword Acidified ice cream, Bright lemon dessert, Citrus ice cream, Lemon curd ice cream, Lemon ice cream, Sous vide ice cream, Stabilizer ice cream