Ice Creamed Ricotta

1. 1

   In a blender splash in the lemon juice. Let the syrup ooze in next. Flick in the zest. Next scoop in the ricotta. Sneak in a little heavy cream. Crack each yolk in, one at a time. Finish with half the nutmeg. If you know you love rosemary, then add 1/8 teaspoon of finely minced fresh leaves. Otherwise, leave them out! Whirl into a tizzy until dazed completely smooth.

2. 2

   In a double boiler or very heavy saucepan bring this velvety mix to a very slow simmer. Do not boil. To prevent your yolks from curdling, stir like a dervish if you did not opt for the double boiler method . Simmer for about 7-10 minutes until the custard has thickened. Take off heat and place a sheet of parchment on top to prevent skim ...unless of course you want to savor the skim top later. (Just as a test I also baked some of these in egg coddlers in a hot water bath; you can see some photos).

3. 3

   If you love warm custard, you can stop right here and serve these up; just let them cool off enough so they are not too hot to eat. Otherwise, let cool, chill and serve several hours later in a custard form. But if you want the ice cream version, chill completely, best overnight. And you may be waiting for your ice cream maker to chill in the freezer, anyway.

4. 4

   Process the chilled custard using directions with your ice cream maker. To serve, grate the remaining fresh nutmeg on top or garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs. If you have a sweet tooth, consider a drizzle of grade A maple syrup. Alternative finishes include toasted pine nuts, hot dark chocolate sauce or chips, or hot expresso. Just plain it is deeply creamy with just that subtle underling of wonderful ricotta grittiness. This is best eaten soon after processing. But if you do refreeze, take out your ice cream to let it soften at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Avoid microwaving!

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.