Limoncello Frozen Custard
Limoncello Frozen Custard is rich, creamy and decadent. Balanced by sweet and tangy Limoncello, this is a fantastic dessert or snack for cooling down on a hot summer day. Or to brighten up a gloomy winter day! There certainly isn’t a seasonal rule for eating ice cream in my house, lol!
As a side note, I would have loved to have named this “gelato” since the recipe inspired by our family trip to Italy. However, traditionally, gelato is not made with a custard or egg base. Nowadays gelato recipes can be found with egg bases and without. The defining factor between ice cream and gelato comes down to the milkfat. This Limoncello Frozen Custard has a lower milk fat percentage, like gelato does and has a custard base for richness. Hence, the name!
Prepping Ahead
Making a frozen dessert with a custard base does require planning ahead by at least one day if you like soft-serve. Begin two days ahead if you want to freeze the batch for a scoopable result. You will need to pay attention to the instructions on your ice cream machine as well. Some require more freezing time than others for the bowl. Mine works best with a minimum of 2 days in the coldest part of my freezer.
The Custard Base
The first step in actually making the Limoncello Frozen Custard is to make the custard. And I have a simple method that doesn’t require tempering the eggs! Yahoo!!! Begin by beating the egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan (off of the stove) until it becomes a pale yellow mixture. Depending on the volume of the egg yolks, it may still be a bit dry and grainy, or it could be frothy. Either is okay at this stage. Then add 1 cup of cold whole milk, salt and lemon zest to the mixture. And now, heat it gently on the stovetop over a medium low heat.
Make sure to stir continuously, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent making scrambled eggs. Once the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat. Add in the remaining milk, cream, limoncello and lemon juice. Stir to combine it all well. Cover and store it in the fridge until it is completely chilled through. I prefer to let this chill overnight to ensure that it is as cold as possible. If it isn’t cold enough, it won’t set up and freeze when you try to churn it.
Churn the Limoncello Frozen Custard
Follow the instructions on your ice cream churn. Once it reaches the soft serve stage, feel free to dig in as it is or pour it into a 9 x 5 loaf pan or similar sized freezer safe container. Cover and store in the freezer until ready to enjoy! I like to freeze it overnight so that it can be perfectly scooped and doesn’t melt too quickly.
More Gluten Free & Some Dairy Free Frozen Treats
- Mocha Caramel Chip Ice Cream
- No Churn 3 Ingredient Ice Cream
- Cake Batter Ice Cream
- Dairy Free Chocolate Covered Banana Ice Cream
- Dairy Free Tropical Rum Ice Cream
Limoncello Frozen Custard
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (1-2 lemons)
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 3 cups whole milk (divided)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup limoncello liqueur
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Chill the base of your ice cream maker in the coldest part of your freezer 1-2 days in advance or as instructed by the manufacturer.
- The night before you plan to churn the ice cream, use a hand mixer on a high speed to beat the egg yolks and sugar in a small saucepan (off the heat). Once pale yellow (it may be a bit dry & grainy or foamy depending on the volume of the egg yolks), add 1 cup of whole milk, lemon zest and salt to the yolk mixture and stir with a spatula to combine well.
- Place the saucepan on the stovetop over a medium low heat. Stir continuously, scraping the bottom to make sure that it isn't sticking to the bottom. Once thickened enough to coat the spoon/spatula, then remove from heat.
- Add remaining cold milk, limoncello and lemon juice to the thickened custard. Transfer to a larger container if needed. Cover and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight (preferred) to chill completely. If this mixture isn’t cold enough, it may not set up properly when you churn it, so let it chill as long as you can.
- Once completely chilled, pour into the frozen base of the ice cream maker and churn as your model suggests. Mine usually takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the soft serve stage (see note). Enjoy right away or pour into a 9 x 5 loaf pan or freezer safe lidded storage container and place in the freezer until ready to scoop and enjoy!
