Key Lime Ice Food

KEY LIME ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lime juice, and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until well-blended. Continuously stir the egg mixture with a wooden spoon until thickened, 7 to 8 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in the half and half until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve set over a clean bowl. Cover and chill the mixture in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until cool, about 1 hour.
• Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions until it reaches "soft-serve" consistency. Transfer ice cream to a one- or two-quart lidded plastic container; cover surface with plastic wrap and seal. For best results, ice cream should ripen in the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight.

LIME ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Place another bowl inside so it's surrounded on all sides by the ice water. In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. When sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and add lime juice. Pour into bowl sitting in the ice bath to cool lime mixture, about 15 minutes. Pour mixture into a 10 by 12-inch baking dish that's sitting on a sheet tray and put in the freezer. After 1 1/2 hours, remove from freezer and scrape the ice with a fork, being sure to mix the softer center with the more frozen outer edges. Put back into the freezer for another 1 1/2 hours. Before serving, scrape again using the fork.

KEY LIME PIE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Mix ingredients together and refrigerate until cold. Pour into ice cream maker and mix for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to another container and place plastic wrap on ice cream and cover container tightly with a lid. Place in freezer for several hours.
• When ready to serve, garnish with graham crackers.

KEY LIME WITH GRAHAM CRACKER GELATO

Steps:

• Make the Plain Base and chill as directed.
• Gently whisk the lime juice and zest into the base. Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Just after churning quickly stir in the graham cracker crumbs. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

KEY LIME SORBET

Steps:

• Bring 3/4 cup water and sugar to boil in medium heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Mix in sweetened condensed milk, then lie juice. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; place over large bowl filled with ice and water and cool, stirring often, about 30 minutes.
• Process lime mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to medium container, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 20 days.

KEY LIME ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan; slowly beat the hot cream into the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl.
• Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and place over low heat.
• Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly (be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble).
• Remove pan from heat and pour the hot custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl.
• Let the custard cool slightly, then stir in the sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice.
• Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.
• Stir the cold custard well; then freeze in 1 or 2 batches in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.
• When finished, the ice cream will be soft but can be eaten; for firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze several hours or overnight.
• *Margarita Ice Cream-add ¼ cup tequila and ¼ cup orange liqueur before freezing.