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.
My favorite recipe for company is vegetarian lasagna. The recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Vegetarian Cookbook is very good.
Lemon pies are my weakness. Can wait to bake this one!
I’ve tried many of your cakes; my favorites are Chocolate Zucchini and Carrot. When I’m short on time I usually opt for Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Vanilla Ice-Cream.
I also love lemon desserts as the tree in my backyard bears almost 100 Meyer lemons each year. Looking forward to trying Lemon Nemesis!
Right now the favorite recipe are “Brookies” Hal brownie half chocolate chip cookie in one big bar cookie! Seems most gatherings are centered around family with a sea of 9 yr old boys!!!
My favorite is a 6 flavor pound cake with a boiled almond glaze that goes on while it’s still warm in the pan. Simple but dense and moist. So much better the next morning.
Beef stroganoff was always my company meal. Now it’s pulled or shredded meat or chicken. If we aren’t grillin’, it’s all about tacos or burritos. Spicy salsa. Ha ha meat loaf for dad. Always. No
My favorite is a 6 flavor pound cake with a boiled almond glaze that goes on while it’s still warm in the pan. Simple but dense and moist. So much better the next morning.
Beef stroganoff was always my company meal. Now it’s pulled or shredded meat or chicken. If we aren’t grillin’, it’s all about tacos or burritos. Spicy salsa. Ha ha meat loaf for dad. Always.
Fruit crisp w/ oatmeal topping- blueberry, peach, apple, pear, apricot, rhubarb or some combination served w/ fresh whipped cream (assisted by any young or young at heart guest that get to lick the beaters clean). Brownies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or at this time of year chocolate zucchini cake also. Thank you so much for sharing your joy in baking!
I love to make a Tex mex feast of fajitas on the griddle with all the fixin’s and a pitcher of frosty margaritas. Smitten Kitchen’s chocolate peanut butter cake is usually for dessert!
When the weather is cooler/cold, I like to serve homemade soup. A favorite is Sweet Potato Chile. It has a little kick to it but isn’t too spicy.
Looks delicious! I don’t really have a go-to recipe for when company comes over, rather I tend to use the occasion as an excuse to try something new! Not the most relaxing strategy, but fun to discover something new with friends 🙂
I love to make mini cheesecakes. You can top with chocolate or seasonal fruit. Can’t go wrong.
A carefully crafted lasagna or stuffed shells are my go-tos when having people over. They are items that can be prepped ahead and finished in the oven when guests arrive. I love how they can show care for your guests because you put time and effort in to prepare for their arrival, but you can also spend time with them since most of the hard work (and clean-up) is done.
I usually make paella or the Zuni Cafe roast chicken with bread salad. Dessert depends on who’s coming and the occasion, but the defaults are individual chocolate soufflés (if I have lots of advance notice) or apricot brownies (if I don’t).
The all-time hit for desserts was a steamed cranberry puddIng with a warm butter sauce. I served this to my book club and they loved it and ran out the door with their hair on fire anxious to try it! I feel that way about your dessert recipes. Yes, a fan of Amy’s too! Would love to go grocery shopping with her at the stores around her hometown. You two are great!, now to take on that blow torch thing!
I love making a fruit pie when company comes over and it has often been one of your recipes for peach or apple pie with a pretty lattice crust.
Chocolate mousse loaf cake with raspberry sauce is my favorite company dessert, but YOUR dessert looks mouth-watering!
My mom’s apple crisp is my favorite dessert to make in the fall. But I’ll be breaking out the blowtorch to try this dessert for my next dinner party!
I love making “Magic in the Middle Cookies” AKA chocolate sugar cookie stuffed with Peanut Butter. They’re a real crowd pleaser! I also like making people my homemade pizza.
When I have company, I love making crab cakes, and for dessert I make Jewish Apple Cake
I will be making this. I love lemon. I love to serve brownies and ice cream or a giant chocolate chip cookie. Also 9×13 choc. cake with caramel frosting.
My problem is I am always trying new things and don’t have a “go to” for dessert. It’s whatever is in season and strikes my fancy at the time.
My new favorite is honey chiffon served with fresh berries and whipped cream. My anytime favorite is all chocolate!
We love to smoke a tri-tip when company comes!
I love to make stuffed eggplant in coconut dal for company-can be completely done day before and heated in the oven for service! Green bean salad can also be done ahead and cheesecake for dessert!
My favorite thing to make for company is key lime bars. Foolproof, delicious, do-ahead, and I always have the ingredients on hand. I hope to become a more ambitious baker as I get ready to retire from 34 years as an elementary school teacher!