The Cold Creamy Dessert That Deserves A Dollop Of Lemon Curd

Vanilla ice cream is a tried-and-true classic, and, because of that, it goes with just about anything. From Champagne to chocolate chips, vanilla ice cream is easy to dress up, and that is especially true when it comes to using fruit. The fact of the matter is that fruit elevates store-bought vanilla ice cream, and lemon is a great option for doing just that. However, it's a very overpowering citrus, and just squeezing a wedge over a scoop won't do much except pucker your lips. Instead, consider adding a dollop of lemon curd to your sundae.

There are a few simple ways you can use lemon curd in your next vanilla ice cream adventure. The easiest is to take a spoonful, plop it on top, and enjoy. You can also put some lemon curd in a pretty bowl or glass, then put the ice cream on top to look like a fancy restaurant dessert or cocktail. If you'd prefer, take some softened ice cream, then swirl it in or blend it together entirely before re-chilling and serving.

No matter how you prepare and present this combination, it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The tangy lemon has enough citrus bite to cut through the creamy sweetness and fat in the ice cream, but it's sweet enough itself to not overwhelm the vanilla. Garnish with mint leaves or a spiraled lemon peel to give this sweet treat an elevated appearance. Lemon and vanilla in cakes and pastries work well together, so it just makes sense they'd work here, too.

Lemon curd is generally used as a spread for tea pastries, pies, and cakes, and it originated in England. You can sometimes buy jarred lemon curd from places like Aldi and Trader Joe's, but many say it's best if homemade. Luckily, it's very easy to make yourself from scratch.

In the simplest versions, sugar, eggs, lemons, and butter are all combined in a saucepan and whisked constantly over medium-low heat, making sure the egg doesn't curdle. Once the lemon curd starts to thicken to the consistency you want, take it off the heat and cover it, as it will continue to thicken during cooling. That's really all it takes, and the sweet stuff keeps for about a month in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can make lemon curd in the microwave by zapping the ingredients at 1-minute intervals and whisking regularly. Either way, it's an easy process that takes less than half an hour before cooling.

If you want to take things a step further, you can even make your own lemon curd ice cream. While you can easily make a dairy-free two-ingredient fruit sorbet, adding lemon to cream can be tricky due to the acid causing milk to curdle. Instead, add prepared lemon curd to your standard vanilla recipe near the end of the process, once the ice cream is well-churned and forming a thickened texture. That way, you'll still get all that lemony goodness without any curdling. As you can see, in any form, lemon curd and vanilla ice cream are a match made in heaven.