This beautiful lemon ice cream cake is from Amy Thielen’s new book, Company. She calls it lemon nemesis because it combines three of her personal temptations into one dessert: a salted butter-cracker bottom, lemon custard middle and swirly toasted meringue topping. It is perfect to me for so many reasons, not the least of which is the chance to whip out my trusty blow torch!
My brother and his family were visiting from Boston, so my niece and nephew got in the kitchen with me and we made a dessert worthy of the occasion. Amy’s book is all about the art of having people over to share a meal or a delicious lemony dessert. It was a hot day so making something that spent time in the freezer instead of the oven was key.
Using a blow torch for the first time is a right of passage, which I had the honor of ushering my niece into. Her dad (my little brother) watched, with a bit of amazement and probably knowing this day was inevitable at my house! Amy’s book is the perfect guide for every occasion, even a girl’s first lesson in proper meringue torching.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Amy was so kind to share the lemon ice cream cake recipe from her book. Thank you, Amy!
Video
Ingredients
Cracker Base
- 2 sleeves butter crackers like Ritz (about 7 ounces)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Lemon Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 6 large egg yolks save the whites for the meringue
- 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice from 9 to 10 lemons
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons vodka preferably lemon vodka
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into slices
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 to 3 drops lemon extract optional if you used lemon vodka
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Meringue Topping
- 6 large egg whites reserved from the filling
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- A hefty pinch of fine sea salt
- 3 drops lemon extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with a thin coating of neutral oil.
- For the base, grind the crackers to a fine dust in a food processor, or put them in a heavy plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Combine the cracker crumbs, melted butter, and maple syrup in a medium bowl and mix quickly to moisten the crumbs. Scatter the crumbs across the bottom of the baking pan and gently press down, pushing them into the corners with the blade of your hand.
- Bake the cracker base until you can smell it toasting and it has turned an even shade of almond brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Fill a large saucepot with a few inches of water for a double boiler and bring it to a simmer; make sure the bottom of the mixing bowl will hover above the water, not sit in it. Combine the eggs and yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and vodka in a large metal mixing bowl and whisk immediately to prevent the yolks from clumping with the sugar, then set the bowl over the simmering water. Cook, slowly stirring with a rubber spatula in a figure eight, until the mixture thickens into a custard that holds the trail of the whisk and measures 150℉ on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter, then cool the mixture over a bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until cool. Stir in the condensed milk and lemon extract.
- Meanwhile, whip the cream in a large bowl to soft peaks. For the creamiest custard texture, the whipped cream should be floppy, not stiff.
- Before you get to the final assembly, clear a flat, level space in your freezer to hold the baking pan so that the custard will freeze evenly.
- Fold half of the whipped cream into the lemon mixture to lighten it, then add the rest, folding it in until incorporated. Immediately pour the lemon filling into the cooled crust and spread it into the corners. Hustle the pan into the freezer to harden. After the top begins to freeze, press a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper against the surface of the filling to protect it from odors. (If planning to keep this in the freezer for any length of time, you may also want to double-wrap the pan in plastic wrap.) The lemon filling needs to freeze for at least 6 hours to be stiff enough to cut, but freezers vary. (The lemon nemesis can be prepared to this point up to 2 weeks in advance.)
- Right before serving, make the meringue topping: Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, vinegar, salt, and lemon extract, if using, in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large metal bowl and set over a pot of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Heat gently, whisking, until the egg white mixture feels uncomfortably hot to the touch, measuring about 150o F, about 5 minutes. Attach the mixer bowl to the stand, or use a hand mixer, and whip the egg whites on medium- high until the meringue looks glossy and thick and holds stiff peaks.
- Spoon the meringue topping across the surface of the cake and smooth with an offset spatula or a pie server. If the cake has been frozen for days, transfer the cake to the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to gently thaw enough to slice.
- Just before serving, brûleé the meringue with a blowtorch.
- To serve, slice the cake into large squares. I generally divide it into 15 servings—rows of 5 divided by rows of 3—but you can serve any size you like. Lift out each piece with a pie server and transfer to serving plates. (If you have any difficulty prying the crust from the pan, pass the bottom of the pan over a hot stovetop burner to loosen the bottom crust.) If there happen to be leftovers, press a piece of plastic wrap against the cut surfaces and return to the freezer.
Your hot chocolate cake is one of my favorites, everyone else’s too. For dinner, beer can chicken with a Tuscan rub on the grill.
My go to recipe for dessert is chocolate cream pie. I first made it when my daughters were small and it was a huge hit with all the kids and is still requested for birthdays and special dinners. (Kids are now 35 and 30). It’s a Cooking Light recipe so the fat content is a bit reduced and that makes the adults happy. Except, I have to top it with real whipped cream, so that may actually negate any calorie savings. But. It is so worth it!!
One of my favorite meals to serve guests is Champagne chicken with a nice salad and Bailey’s Irish cream torte.
The lemon dessert looks great, can’t wait to try it.
If I am having company – and if I have time – I love to make Mixed Berry Pavlova.
It is always a big hit although never as good as the one you made for a special birthday party last year! YUM!
My favorite thing to make for company is banana pudding. Especially in the summer when I don’t want to use the oven. This cookbook looks fantastic! As does this dessert I am definitely going to make soon.
My favorite company recipe for summer is peach crisp! I’m in Colorado and our peaches are amazing. My house smells fantastic and crisp is such a warm hug!
Of course, in about a month my favorite will be apple crisp!
Hi Zoe! My favorite dish to make when we have company over is Musakhan, a traditional Palestinian dish. It’s delicious, filling, and appeals to many different taste palates, including kids (they love it!).
This looks delicious! I love the fancy piping you did with the meringue! My favorite dessert for composure is a lemon semifreddo. No bake, make in advance and so very impressive. But so easy!
I can’t wait to make the Lemon Nemesis. In Florida a cold dessert is always welcome.
I like to make French Cream , pound cake and top with strawberries, if it is a heavy meal. I also love Peach and ginger cobbler with vanilla ice cream
My favorite desert in the summer is, strawberry pineapple cheesecake. No baking involved.. light and fluffy, and always requested by everyone. I would love to try your lemon nemesis, my favorite flavor. I seem to have a little trouble, with meringue, so hoping to get some good tips. Love the show, I’ve learned a lot.
When we have company, I love making a giant lasagna! And for dessert, I alway whip up your Pavlova, it’s truly the best!
This is the most delicious sounding and looking cake I have ever seen in a long time.
Can’t wait to make it.
Keep your delicious recipes coming.
I love making your carrot cake for dessert. It always gets the excited reactions we love, and almost everybody asks for seconds and for cake to take home! I always make a double recipe. The best carrot cake I’ve ever had.
My favorite company dessert is a fruit crisp using fruit in season. Always delicious and can be made ahead. I use your rhubarb crisp recipe for the crispy topping part and use almond flour if I have a gluten free guest.
My favorite dessert to share when i have company over is a corn layer cake.
I like to serve some kind of chocolate cake when company comes!
what a delightful recipe.
thank you for sharing.
it looks delicious and yummy.
the final images have my mouth watering!
my favorite dessert to serve company
depends on my mood,
really.
today it would probably be…
mango pie!!!
mmmmmmmmm!
I’m loving your Coconut oatmeal rum raisin cookies to have ready to bake for company! Amazing!
Love a new lemon treat,thanks for sharing.
I love to serve chocolate cream pie, mostly so I can have a piece the next day for breakfast.
In the fall, I make a pear and apple spicy upside down cake with honey in the caramel. It’s perfect for Rosh Hashanah.
Really, really, really want this recipe for next week. Can you post a link?
Rachel
My favorite dessert is Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake. I would love to win this book! Thank you!
The Lemon Nemesis sounds delicious! Recently we made Jello Jigglers on a whim and that has been my go-to for gatherings with kids.
It really depends on the season but one of my go-to recipes is always brownies with a good vanilla ice cream.
I have a great tiramisu recipe I use which works great, no baking involved. It is a great “pick me up” with coffee and Kailua.
I like to make trifle bc it can be made in advance and it looks so pretty, all the layers visible in the glass trifle dish! Most of the ones I’ve made have berries of some sort in there but I’ve been wanting to try making a Black Forest version with maybe a boozy cherry for the holidays…Do you have a great recipe for lady fingers or cake that you like to use for trifle?
Pie! There’s nothing better than a fruit pie with vanilla ice cream.
In the summer I make a type of layered cherry dessert with fresh cherries, marscapone and Greek yogurt or my aunt’s strawberry pie. Great for warm evenings. Two other go to desserts are a Boston Creame Pie Cake and a golden peach pie.
I love trying new recipes and you give the best directions!! I can’t wait to try this one.