Ingredients

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

　　8 Key limes or 5 regular limes

　　2 cups milk

　　6 large egg yolks

　　3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

　　2 cups very cold heavy cream

　　

Step 1

Grate the lime zest; reserve. Squeeze the limes to yield 1/2 cup juice. Place the zest in a saucepan with the milk. Scald the mixture; cover. Remove from heat. Steep for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl; whisk until pale yellow and thick.

　　

Step 3

Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Return the milk to the stove, and bring to a simmer. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.

　　

Step 4

Return the mixture to the saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the chilled cream to stop the cooking. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl set in an ice-water bath; stir occasionally until cooled. Stir the reserved lime juice into the custard. Cover; chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.

　　

Step 6

Pour the custard into an ice-cream maker, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Churn until the ice cream is just set, but not hard. Transfer to an airtight container; freeze at least 4 hours and up to 1 week.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.