Description
Silky brown butter lemon ice cream offers a luxurious dance of nutty and citrus notes. Creamy, tangy elegance whisks you through Mediterranean sunshine with each cool, indulgent spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 2 cups (18 ounces/510 grams) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 can (14 ounces/397 grams) sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) salted butter, browned and cooled
Lemon Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (1.8 ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar
Flavor and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, softened or melted
- Tiny pinch fine sea salt (for lemon curd)
- Tiny pinch fine sea salt (for ice cream)
Instructions
- Craft the lemon curd by combining granulated sugar, eggs, freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, unsalted butter, and a pinch of salt in a small nonstick or enameled saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Whisk the mixture continuously for approximately 5 minutes, ensuring the consistency becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- While the lemon curd is still hot, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or jar, then cover and allow to cool to room temperature.
- For the brown butter, slice cold butter into uniform cubes and place in a light-colored, medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Stir the butter occasionally as it begins to bubble, then continuously while it foams, carefully scraping the bottom to prevent burning until the butter transforms into a rich amber color.
- Transfer the browned butter to a heat-safe jar and let it cool completely.
- In a stand mixer, whip heavy whipping cream at medium speed until it thickens, then increase to high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Incorporate sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, and salt into the whipped cream, beating until fully integrated.
- Gently fold ground cinnamon, brown sugar, half of the prepared lemon curd, and cooled brown butter into the mixture, creating a delicate swirl.
- Spread half of the ice cream base into a freezer-safe container, then add strategic dollops of remaining lemon curd and brown butter.
- Use a knife to create elegant swirls throughout the mixture, then repeat the layering process with the remaining ingredients.
- Cover the container and freeze for a minimum of 8 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to set.
Notes
- Precise whisking prevents scrambling eggs when making lemon curd, ensuring a smooth, silky texture.
- Brown butter adds a nutty, caramelized depth that transforms ordinary ice cream into an extraordinary dessert.
- Freezing for at least 8 hours allows flavors to meld and develop a rich, creamy consistency.
- Use a light-colored saucepan when browning butter to easily monitor color changes and prevent burning.
- Stiff peaks in whipped cream create an airy, luxurious base that makes the ice cream incredibly light.
- Swirling lemon curd and brown butter creates beautiful marbling and ensures complex, layered flavor in every bite.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks, Drinks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 445 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg