What’s even better than the dusky rich poppy seed flavor and the tang of lemon here is the crisp “pop!” the seeds make when you bite into them—it makes every mouthful a noisy little adventure. Because this isn’t a cooked custard ice cream, it takes minutes to put together, so keep the ingredients on hand. If the half-and-half and the lemons are
chilled (store your lemons in the refrigerator; they’ll keep longer), this can be a very impromptu dessert, as the mixture will need virtually no time to chill.
Makes 1 quart (1 liter)
Ingredients:
Zest of 2 lemons
1½ cups (300 g) sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 quart (1 liter) half-and half
¼ cup (35 g) poppy seeds
Note: Pulverizing the lemon zest with the sugar brings out the oils in the zest, to intensify the lemony flavor of the ice cream.
Directions:
1. Place the lemon zest and sugar in a food processor. Process until the sugar and zest are thoroughly combined, and the sugar is a bit damp from the oil in the zest. Add the lemon juice and process to blend.
2. Scrape the sugar and lemon mixture into a large nonreactive bowl. Whisk in the half-and-half until combined, then whisk in the poppy seeds. To allow the flavors to meld, refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3. Before freezing, whisk the mixture so it is combined thoroughly, then freeze it in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions.
