Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
The decisive move is to balance the lime before whipping the cream: condensed milk softens the citrus acidity while keeping the frozen base scoopable. I build the graham cracker element as a buttery,…
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream, very cold
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup key lime juice
- 2 teaspoons key lime zest, finely grated
- 1 1/4 cups graham crackers, finely crushed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup graham cracker pieces, roughly broken
Instructions
- Chill a large metal mixing bowl, the beaters of a hand mixer, and a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan for at least 15 minutes. Keep the heavy cream refrigerated until the moment you whip it; a cold fat phase traps air more efficiently and produces a finer, less icy texture without a custard base.
- Set out the softened butter for 10 to 15 minutes, then place it in a medium bowl with the 1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Work the mixture together with your fingertips until the crumbs are evenly coated and hold a loose clump when squeezed, but do not knead it into a paste.
- Transfer the graham mixture to a plate and press it into a thin layer with your fingertips. Chill it for 10 minutes while preparing the ice cream base; this firms the butter so the crumbs remain distinct instead of dissolving into the cream.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, finely grated lime zest, and vanilla extract for 60 to 90 seconds. The mixture should look smooth and slightly thickened, with the zest evenly suspended. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the citrus oils perfume the condensed milk and the acidity begins to tighten its texture.
- Pour the very cold heavy cream into the chilled metal bowl. Whip on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium-high and continue for 2 to 3 minutes, stopping when the cream forms firm peaks that stand upright but still have a satin sheen. Stop immediately if the surface begins to look grainy; over-whipping pushes the mixture toward butter and will make the finished ice cream heavy.
- Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the lime-condensed-milk mixture with a flexible spatula, using broad strokes from the bottom of the bowl upward. This first addition lightens the dense base and prevents the remaining whipped cream from collapsing when incorporated.
- Add the lightened lime mixture to the remaining whipped cream and fold 8 to 12 times, scraping the bowl's bottom and sides after each stroke. Stop when no large white streaks remain; a few faint streaks are preferable to continued mixing, because retained air is the structure of this no-churn ice cream.
- Spoon one-third of the ice cream base into the chilled loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. Scatter one-third of the chilled buttery crumbs and a few pieces of the 1/2 cup roughly broken graham crackers over the surface, keeping some pieces in irregular 1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks for crust-like texture.
- Repeat the layering twice, finishing with the remaining crumbs and graham pieces. Drag a butter knife through the pan in three or four gentle S-shaped passes to create a ripple; do not fully stir, or the graham layer will disappear and the ice cream will become uniformly dense.
- Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, then cover the pan tightly with foil or a lid. Freeze on a level shelf for 6 to 8 hours, until the center is firm when pressed but not rock-hard. For the cleanest scoop and clearest lime aroma, transfer the pan to the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving.
- Scoop the ice cream with a warmed, dry scoop into chilled bowls. Finish each portion with a few additional graham crumbs or a thin curl of lime zest if desired, and serve immediately; prolonged standing causes the graham ripple to soften and the edges to melt before the center.
Watch the Key Lime Pie Ice Cream cooking video
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