Homemade Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream

Ever since I went to Arcata Scoop, I've been itching to make some homemade ice cream.  My favorite flavor was the Lemon Poppy Seed.  So, here is my version of that flavor.  (I have adapted a Williams-Sonoma recipe and made it a little lighter by using fat free half and half.)

Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups fat free half and half

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

    In a double boiler, combine cream, half and half and zest.  Heat mixture for about 10-12 mins or until bubbles form around the edges of the pan.

    In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until smooth.  Whisk in the lemon juice and vanilla.  In a steady stream, while mixing, pour the hot cream mixture into the sugar mixture.  Return entire mixture to double boiler and cook, stirring constantly for about 15 mins.  Do not allow it to boil.  Place cooked mixture in an ice bath until it comes to room temperature.  Strain mixture through a fine sieve and refrigerate mixture for at least one hour.

    Place mixture into an ice cream maker or freezer and follow the instruction for that machine.  Freeze for a couple more hours before serving.  

    I used a Donvier Ice Cream Freezer.  It's interior bowl is frozen and then you hand crank the machine.  It is great for small batching of ice cream.