The Gourmet Cookbook's Ice Cream #4 {Italian Lemon Ice} So Cold and Refreshing!

Here at Stirring the Pot, we absolutely go crazy for lemon desserts! I wanted to take a break from the cream-based, egg custard ice creams and go with something lighter this week so I selected the Italian Lemon Ice!

I've made granitas and ices in the freezer before, by putting the mixture in a tray and scraping the ice every so often over the course of a few hours, but I wanted to try my hand at making an ice using my ice cream machine. Boy, am I glad I did!

This Italian Ice is so, so easy! You just make a simply syrup, boiling water and sugar and then add in lemon juice, zest, and salt. Let it cool in the fridge and then add to the ice cream machine.

There is no milk or cream in this recipe but the end result is somewhat creamy! The ice is supremely cold (colder than ice cream) and bursting with zingy zippy lemon flavor. So much so that it will make your mouth pucker. This is the perfect cool refreshing treat to give you a refresh on a hot summer day. It also makes for a really good palate cleanser! And, lastly, a little goes a long way. One scoop will have you nice and refresh in no time!

Italian Lemon Ice

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

by Ruth Reichl

Makes about 1 quart

1-1/2 cups water

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

1 cup fresh lemon juice

pinch of salt

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a 1quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in zest, juice, and salt. Transfer to a metal bowl and cool syrup to room temperature. Refrigerate syrup, covered, for at least 1 hour.

Freeze syrup in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Summer Fun @ I Heart Cooking Clubs!