Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

Lemon meringue ice cream is a fresh and pleasantly tangy dessert, perfect for hot days or to end a dinner with a touch of lightness. Here are the ingredients and the procedure.

Ingredients

• 4 organic lemons (for juice and grated zest)
• 250 ml of water
• 200 g of granulated sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 200 ml of fresh cream to whip
• 120 g of icing sugar
• Dry meringues as needed (depending on the size of the meringue you want)

Preparation

1. Let’s start by preparing a syrup: in a small pot, pour the water and 200 g of granulated sugar and bring to a boil, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, wash the lemons and grate the zest of one lemon, trying to avoid the white and more bitter part. Then, squeeze the lemons to obtain about 150 ml of juice.

3. In a bowl, start to whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. When they start to become white and fluffy, gradually add the icing sugar, continuing to whip, until you get a glossy and firm meringue.

4. Whip the fresh cream until it is firm and fold it gently into the meringue, mixing from the bottom up to not deflate the mixture.

5. Then gently fold in the lemon juice and zest.

6. Take a loaf pan (or a rectangular container) and line it with clear plastic wrap so that it’s easier to unmold the meringue once frozen.

7. Pour half of the mixture into the container, then distribute some crushed dry meringues on top (these will create the “crunch”).

8. Cover with the remaining lemon meringue mixture.

9. Finish with another layer of dry meringues and put in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or until the meringue is completely frozen.

10. Before serving, unmold the lemon meringue ice cream and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, so that it softens slightly.

Curiosity

Meringue is a dessert that combines the crunchiness of the meringues on the outside and the softness of the cream or ice cream inside. Do not forget to pair this dessert with a sweet wine, maybe a Passito or a Moscato, which balance its acidity and enhance its freshness.