Frozen Lemon Gingersnap Pie

From Gourmet, by way of Epicurius

FROZEN LEMON GINGERSNAP PIE

This dessert was inspired by the time-honored tradition of serving gingerbread with lemon sauce — the tang of lemon cuts the richness of molasses.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 6 hr (includes freezing)

For crust
1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies (6 oz)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar

For ice cream
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer; an ice cream maker
Garnish: lemon slices

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Toss together all crust ingredients with a fork until crumbs are moistened. Press evenly onto bottom and up side of a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate (6-cup capacity). Bake crust in middle of oven 7 minutes, then cool on a rack. (One comment said it needed to cook longer: 10-12 minutes.)

Make ice cream:
Bring cream, milk, sugar, zest, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Whisk yolks in a bowl until blended, then add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Transfer custard back to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 175 to 180°F on thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes (do not let boil).

Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into cleaned bowl, then stir in lemon juice. Cool custard to room temperature, stirring occasionally, then chill, its surface covered with a round of wax paper, until cold, about 3 hours. Freeze custard in ice cream maker.

Spread ice cream evenly in crust and wrap pie plate in wax or parchment paper, then in plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, put pie in refrigerator to soften.

Cooks’ notes:
• Ice cream can be made 2 days ahead of assembling pie. Soften in refrigerator about 30 minutes before spreading in crust.
• Assembled pie can be frozen up to 3 days.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Gourmet
June 2003