Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the lemon custard base
- Heat the whole milk and heavy cream in a saucepan until steaming, about 3 to 5 minutes, with small bubbles forming around the edges (do not boil).
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until pale and thick, about 1 to 2 minutes; keep whisking until the mixture looks smooth and slightly lighter in color.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper, then pour everything back into the saucepan for steady blending.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened to a pudding consistency, about 6 to 10 minutes; when you drag a spoon through it, the line should hold for a moment.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt until fully combined and glossy.
Chill and churn
- Cool the custard completely over an ice bath until no longer warm, about 10 to 15 minutes, with the surface looking cool and smooth.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours (up to overnight) until very cold; the mixture should feel chilled throughout.
- Churn in an ice cream maker on the lowest setting for a dense texture, about 20 to 30 minutes, until thick and pale yellow.
- Serve immediately for a soft-set texture, or freeze 1 to 2 hours for firmer scooping; look for an opaque, dense scoopable gelato.
Notes
Pro tip: keep the custard cooking at medium and stir constantly so it thickens without scrambling—once it coats a spoon like pudding, pull it right away. Refrigerate the churned gelato for up to 3 days; freeze for up to 1 month (best texture within 2 weeks). For a lighter option, use 2% milk and reduce heavy cream to 1/4 cup, which softens the richness slightly but keeps the lemon flavor bright.