White Chocolate-Lemon Ice Cream

Tips: This is smooth and very rich, with a definite lemon aftertaste. It is important to use top-quality white chocolate for this! Lesser-quality bars or chips from the baking aisle of your local market just won’t do. My favorite way to serve this is with fresh fruit on top or on the side (try blueberries, raspberries, sliced peaches, or diced mango). You'll need an ice cream maker and a candy thermometer to make this, and it's best eaten within three days of churning. Though I’m not the world’s biggest fan of white chocolate, I could eat this all day! Note that you’ll need a candy thermometer and a one-quart ice cream churn to make this.

Yield: Generous 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• Grated zest 1 to 2 medium lemons
• 9 ounces best-quality white chocolate, very finely chopped
• 6 egg yolks, from eggs graded "large"
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• Few grains salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. orange liqueur
  

Method:

In heavy-bottomed, nonreactive 1-1/2 to 2 quart pot, combine 1 cup cream (reserve remainder), whole milk, and lemon zest. Stir over medium heat just until mixture simmers. Remove from heat, cover tightly, and allow to stand 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium heatproof bowl, place finely chopped chocolate. In small saucepan over low heat, heat 2/3 cup remaining cream (reserve remaining 1/3 cup) over low heat, stirring often, until very hot. Pour over chocolate. Let stand about 2 minutes, then stir or whisk until smooth. If necessary, place bowl over warm water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl), and stir often until melted. (White chocolate is often stubborn about melting completely. If you cannot get this mixture smooth, transfer to a food processor fitted with a steel blade; process briefly until no lumps of chocolate are left.)

In a separate medium heatproof bowl, combine egg yolks, sugar, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup cream. By hand, beat until well-mixed. Set aside near stove.

After 20 minutes, reheat lemon zest-cream mixture over medium heat, stirring often, just to a simmer. Remove from heat. Very gradually add to yolk mixture, beating constantly. Return this custard to the pot. Cook and stir over medium heat to 174'F on a candy thermometer (this custard thickens substantially toward end of cooking time). Remove from heat immediately.

Gradually stir or whisk about half the custard into the white chocolate mixture, then turn this blend back into the pot and stir to blend well. Stir in vanilla. Strain through a fine strainer into a pitcher or liquid measuring cup of at least 5 cup capacity, pressing on lemon zest left in strainer to extract all liquid from it. Cool briefly, then chill at least 6 hours, covering when cold (cover with a piece of paper towelling, then with plastic wrap; this prevents any condensation that forms from dripping back into the custard).

Stir cold custard before using. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions. When about 3/4 frozen, add the liqueur, one tablespoon at a time. Store in freezer; eat within three days of churning.

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