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Why I Love This Lemon Thyme Ice Cream Recipe
Is there any citrus that’s more than refreshing that lemon? I don’t think so! And when it’s a lemon thyme ice cream, you better believe it’s a deliciously crisp, clean flavor!
Growing up, our garden was full of everything we needed to can and freeze food to fill our basement shelves. Mom loved gardening, but in southeast Iowa, we didn’t have a lot of places to purchase unique plants with which to experiment. We never grew our own herbs and we usually only cooked with dried herbs. Looking back on it now, what a world we were missing out on.
When I moved into my place, a quarter of a mile from where I grew up, and planted my own garden, I began growing herbs: the basics of parsley, basil, rosemary. But I also ventured into unique varieties like pineapple sage, tarragon, and curry. With eight years under my belt (yikes!), it’s safe to say that herbs have become a mainstay in my garden, and now in my mom’s as well. Thankfully, we’re now able to say that dried herbs are a thing of the past.
Lemon thyme is a variation of thyme, an herb I love to use. The flavor is bright, sharp, and full. It’s still thyme, but so much better. Now, if you don’t grow your own herbs, lemon thyme may not be easy to find. That’s why this variety is the obvious inspiration for this lemon thyme ice cream recipe. If you can’t buy it and you can’t grow it, why not just make ice cream that tastes just like it? ☺️ I’ve deconstructed the individual flavors, though, by using regular thyme paired with fresh lemon which creates a refreshing ice cream.
Does Citrus Work in an Ice Cream?
Citrus is usually reserved for sorbets and gelatos. The sharpness of the citrus works well as an icy sorbet texture, but I love to use it in ice cream. There is something special about blending the citrus with a creamy, smooth base. It’s just contrasting enough that it works.
To really taste the lemon, it would take a lot of lemon juice and zest. So much that the ice cream would likely become hard and icy – just what we’re trying to avoid. To help amplify the lemon flavor, a little lemon extract goes a long way.
Be warned: too much extract could leave a tannic, bitter flavor. But just a few drops are perfect.
How Do You Keep the Thyme Flavor?
In testing this ice cream, I found that the lemon flavor was coming through loud and clear from the fruit and oil. But I also wanted there to be more of a true thyme flavor.
When I use thyme in cooking, I hate to take all of the leaves off. Yes, you can strip them and sometimes that’s easy. But oftentimes the stems are too weak to make a quick swipe with your hand and you end up individually removing the leaves. Instead, I throw in entire sprigs of thyme, let them cook or sauté, and then remove them. The oils infuse into the dish and the sprigs are easy to remove.
This same technique is perfect for flavoring the ice cream base as well. When steeped in the hot base, the oils are released and the sprigs are subsequently easily removed. You’re left with a smooth ice cream that contains both a pungent thyme flavor along with those lemon notes.
These flavors are simple, fresh, and great for a summertime ice cream!
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
To serve – Serve straight from the freezer once it has softened slightly for easy scooping. Garnish with extra lemon zest or a tiny sprig of thyme for a pretty finish.
To store – Freeze in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 months.
More Ice Cream Recipes to Try
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Lemon Thyme Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk separated
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp lemon oil
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (approximately 1 lemon)
- 2 small sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the 2 cups milk, heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Whisk to combine and place over medium heat.2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk, 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, 2 tbsp light corn syrup, 1 tsp kosher salt, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- While the milk mixture is heating, in a separate bowl, combine the reserved 2 tablespoons milk and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and set aside.2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk, 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- Bring the milk mixture to a rolling boil and continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Return to heat and bring back to a rolling boil. It is essential the mixture comes back to a rolling boil to activate the thickener.
- Remove from heat and add the lemon oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and thyme sprigs. Stir to combine and steep for 20 minutes.¼ tsp lemon oil, ¾ tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp lemon zest (approximately 1 lemon), 2 small sprigs fresh thyme
- Once steeped, remove the thyme sprigs and pour the ice cream base into an airtight container. Cover and chill for 6-8 hours. The ice cream base can be stored for up to 48 hours.
- Once ready to chill, follow the manufacturer’s instructions with the ice cream maker. Churn approximately 25 minutes. Enjoy immediately as soft serve or pour into an airtight container and place in freezer 4-6 hours for a hard serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
So easy and delicious! I have to say – the thyme was lost on me. But I loved the lemon so much I will try again and bump up the amount of thyme for more flavor contrast.
This one was really light and refreshing. A favorite among the folks at my house. Thank you!!
Can you sub mira cleer with corn starch? Any recommendation on ratio there?