Lemon frozen custard is a luxurious frozen lemon dessert with a bright lemon flavor and a velvety texture.
Making homemade ice cream is truly one of the highlights of my summers. I set my ice cream machine out on the counter to remind me how easy it is to churn up a fabulous new flavor, it takes just 15 minutes! I make flavors that are so much better than store bought: Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream is an example. I also make flavors I won’t find in the freezer aisle like Rhubarb Ice Cream or Black Raspberry Ice Cream. And when was the last time you spied a pint of lemon frozen custard?!
Get yourself an ice cream machine for summer
It’s a no-brainer purchase. I’ve had mine for over a decade and I love it because it’s so straightforward ~ just one on-off button! A chilled ice cream base churns up in 15-20 minutes and I can never resist taking an early taste test right from the machine 🙂
I use the basic Cuisinart ice cream/frozen yogurt maker that you can buy here.
Frozen custard vs ice cream
Frozen custard is a creamy frozen dessert similar to ice cream but with a higher egg yolk content, resulting in a smoother texture. It was invented in 1919 by brothers Archie and Elton Kohr in Coney Island, New York. They added egg yolks to their ice cream, creating a creamier product that became popular at amusement parks and fairs. Frozen custard stands spread across the Midwest and East Coast, and it remains a favorite frozen dessert in the US. I’ve made two other delicious frozen custards:
How to make lemon frozen custard
- Make a lemon custard base
- A mixture of cream, milk, sugar and lemon is thickened with egg yolks to make a luxe custard base for the ice cream. It needs to chill before using.
- Process the custard base in an ice cream machine
- Follow the directions for your specific machine. With mine this will take 15-20 minutes.
- Spoon the soft ice cream into a freezer safe container.
- Enjoy the ice cream soft as it comes from the machine or freeze for several hours to firm it up.
Storing homemade lemon frozen custard
Have you ever wondered why ice cream is so soft when you bring it home from the store, only to become rock hard after a few hours in your freezer? It all comes down to temperature. Stores keep their ice cream at a slightly higher temperature so it stays soft and scoop-able. This same issue affects your homemade ice cream, but there are a few things you can do to counter this issue:
- Serve soon after churning: after churning your homemade lemon frozen custard place it in your freezer and plan to serve it within about 3 hours or so for best texture.
- Let it sit at room temp before serving: if you do find your ice cream very firm you can set it out on the counter for a bit before scooping.
- Spike it!: if appropriate you can add some alcohol to your ice cream base: since alcohol has a lower freezing point than water it works to keep ice cream softer. In this recipe you might use limoncello.
How to use alcohol to keep homemade ice cream softer
We’re talking about a small amount of alcohol, but of course I only use it when my ice cream is strictly for adults.
- Type of alcohol:
- I choose alcohol with a flavor that complements my ice cream: Kahlua or Baileys could be used in coffee ice cream, for instance, or a chocolate liqueur in my Chocolate Frozen Custard. Vodka can be used when no flavor is desired.
- Amount:
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of alcohol per quart of ice cream base. You can experiment with adding more, but too much alcohol can prevent the ice cream from freezing properly, so I use it sparingly.
- How to add:
- I mix the alcohol into my ice cream base before churning.
PS If you love this idea try one of my special adult cocktail ice creams:
- Manhattan Cocktail Ice Cream
- No Churn Bailey’s Ice Cream
- The Hummer Cocktail
- The Frozen Turkey Cocktail
Lemon frozen custard faqs and dietary substitutions
The eggs in frozen custard enrich the ice cream and are responsible for its famously dense, velvety texture. They add a lovely golden color too.
I have a delicious lemon ice cream recipe that is made without eggs, here: Fresh Lemon Ice Cream.
Yes, I think either would be delicious.
I would use a lemon liqueur like limoncello, or a flavorless spirit like vodka.
Homemade ice cream is best enjoyed within a day or two of making it.
Yes, you can substitute coconut cream and/or full fat coconut milk for the heavy cream, and almond or soy milk for the whole milk. The flavor will be altered but it will still be delicious.
Substitute your favorite low carb sweetener like monk fruit or stevia for the sugar.
I would first refer you to my Fresh Lemon Ice Cream recipe, which is made without eggs. Then you can substitute coconut cream and/or full fat coconut milk for the heavy cream, and almond or soy milk for the whole milk.
This lemon frozen custard is a little bit mellower because of the custard base. I love the effect of steeping the lemon peels in the custard base while it chills ~ it reminds me of the flavor of limoncello, without the alcohol!
It’s a little tricky with an egg based custard but this is what I would try: substitute sweetened condensed milk for the whole milk, and omit the sugar. Then whisk the sweetened condensed milk with the lemon juice and egg yolks and cook until thickened. Let cool, then whip the heavy cream and fold into the mixture. Freeze until scoopable.
Still want more?
Lemon Frozen Custard
Equipment
- ice cream machine this is the one I use
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- zest peeled from one lemon in strips*
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy.
- Heat the milk and cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot (but not boiling!) ~ you will see steam rising. Ladle 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to blend. Scrape the contents of the bowl back to the saucepan, whisking or stirring constantly. Cook until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (again, you don't want it to boil.) Stir in the lemon juice, strips of lemon zest, and sea salt.
- Transfer the custard to an airtight container and let cool, then chill for several hours or overnight. If you need to speed up the process you can place in the freezer for faster chilling.
- When your lemon custard base has chilled, remove the strips of lemon zest. Churn according to your ice cream machine's instructions. Then place the soft ice cream into a freezer container, cover, and freeze for several hours to firm up.
- Homemade lemon frozen custard will have the best texture if enjoyed within a day or two. If it becomes hard to scoop leave it out on the counter for a short bit to soften up before serving.
I just bought a bag of lemons and now I think fate was with me! I like sherbet ok, but lemon frozen custard sounds even better. I can’t wait for the first creamy taste!
Yum! Thanks for the tip with keeping the peel whole (instead of zest), it was silky smooth!
Could one finely grate the lemon peel and keep it in the ice cream? Just curious…
Yes you could, but to my thinking that would make the texture a little ‘gritty’ and detract from the special silky texture of frozen custard. But I could be overthinking it 😉
The recipe calls for egg yolks. Do you temper the eggs at all? I am always afraid of salmonella.
The yolks actually get cooked in the saucepan with the milk and cream, creating a ‘custard’. So no worries about safety.
Love this simple and delicious lemon dessert. Thanks for sharing.
Outstanding recipe thanks so much! It tasted so good!
Guess what? We are making this today! We have all the ingredients. Gonna serve with angel food cake!
Great pairing!
Saving this to make next week once we pick up the ingredients. It sounds so delightful and refreshing!
Let me know what you think!
Can this ice cream be made by hand- without a ice cream machine
I give instructions for making a no-churn version of this in the post, in the faq section: Can I make this recipe into a no-churn recipe?
It’s a little tricky with an egg based custard but this is what I would try: substitute sweetened condensed milk for the whole milk, and omit the sugar. Then whisk the sweetened condensed milk with the lemon juice and egg yolks and cook until thickened. Let cool, then whip the heavy cream and fold into the mixture. Freeze until scoopable.