Lemon Crisp Ice Cream

Lemon crisp ice cream is self-care. Lemon crisp ice cream is putting myself first.

Lemon crisp ice cream is, when it comes down to it, my favorite flavor of ice cream across the board.

When my editor at CNN Wellness asked me to include my favorite ice cream flavor in a story on making and enjoying homemade ice cream, the question threw me for a loop.

I mean… I rarely ever make the same flavor twice in this house. There’s always a new recipe to try, a new ingredient to experiment with, a new client request to consider.

So my personal favorites always get pushed to the bottom of the list in favor of what I should be trying or need to work on in ice cream land.

And as someone who’s been on the record frequently about her love of all lemon desserts, it’s no surprise that lemon ice cream makes the cut.

But not just any lemon ice cream. Lemon crisp ice cream, specifically, comes from one place: Four Seas Ice Cream on Cape Cod.

My first recorded trip (i.e., my first photographed trip, done with a dinky point-and-shoot) to Cape Cod was in 2008, so I must have experienced lemon crisp ice cream for the first time around then.

It stole my heart immediately with its brightly intense lemon flavor, creaminess—not icy like a sorbet—and just a little bit of crunch. (We’ll get to that crunch in a second.)

Though my husband and I have visited many, many ice cream spots around the United States in our scientific pursuit of the best scoop, Four Seas remains top of the list.

I’ve even devised a method of driving a pint of lemon crisp home from Centerville, MA to New Jersey that involves a pre-frozen insulated container and a pre-chilled Yeti cooler. That’s how much I love it.

And while I’m happy to give all my money to the good people who make and scoop this flavor for me every summer, making a version of Four Seas’ lemon crisp ice cream at home is easier than I imagined.

How to make the tangiest lemon ice cream

First, you make a batch of lemon curd.

You must know how to make lemon curd by now, right? I tested the most popular ways to make lemon curd, so you can trust me that my lemon curd recipe is the one to use.

The lemon curd, which uses eggs to give the curd its signature smooth and just-thick-enough texture, works in place of a usual custard base for the ice cream.

Once that’s made and chilled, all that’s left to do is to blend the curd with dairy.

I use half and half, which makes the base creamy but not too dense and buttery. You can always use half cream, half milk if you have some around.

Dairy-free half and half works too, but be aware that often the taste of coconut, almond, or whatever plant base is used for the liquid can come through in the finished ice cream.

What makes lemon crisp ice cream crispy?

The final, non-negotiable touch is to give the lemon crisp ice cream its “crisp”—that crunchiness that won me over at first bite.

The secret is crushed Lemonhead candies!

(I have very fond memories of eating entire boxes of Lemonhead candy at the Skateland roller skating rink as a kid, but that’s another story. Not to mention a dangerous one, what with eating small round candies while on skates.)

Pour a box of Lemonheads into a zip-top bag, seal, and crush finely with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Add the crushed Lemonheads during the final minute of churning in your ice cream maker, so they’re evenly distributed.

You’ll get a shivery zing down your spine with every sweet-tart crunchy bite you find in the ice cream.

And that, my friends, is the little thing that sets lemon crisp ice cream apart from the pack.

The ice cream itself is tangy, rich, and creamy on its own, but add the crisp and you’ll never want to make another flavor. (Just joking!)

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Lemon Crisp Ice Cream

Yield: about 4 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 9 hours

Total Time: 10 hours

Lemon crisp ice cream is a tangy, rich, and creamy homemade summer dessert. And it's crispy too, thanks to crushed Lemonhead candy mixed into the ice cream base.

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Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice, from 3-4 lemons
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups half and half (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 box Lemonhead candies, crushed

Instructions

Make lemon curd:

1. Fill a small (1 or 1 1/2 quart) saucepan with a few inches of water and bring it to a bare simmer over medium-low heat.
2. Whisk the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice together in a stainless steel or other heatproof bowl until combined, then add in the butter.
3. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk continuously.
4. The liquid will begin to bubble after about 8 minutes, and start to thicken after 10 minutes.
5. Start checking the temperature with a digital thermometer. The curd is done when it reaches 165-170 degrees F. Timing will vary based on your stovetop burner power.
6. Remove from the heat and strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer.
7. Let cool for at least 3 hours, until completely chilled and thickened.

Make the ice cream:

1. Gently whisk the half and half into the chilled lemon curd until fully incorporated.
2. Pour the lemon ice cream base into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions.
3. During the last minute of churning, when the ice cream has reached a soft serve consistency, add the crushed Lemonhead candy and let it swirl in.
4. Transfer the ice cream to a lidded freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 6 hours.
5. Scoop and serve!
   

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 322Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 127mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 8g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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