Chilly Cheesecake

Sometimes I come across a recipe that is so fabulous and so easy that I make it again and again. That’s the way I feel about lemon cheesecake ice cream, a recipe from chef-owner Michel Richard of Citrus on Melrose.

His basic ice cream recipe is milk, lemon juice, sugar and cream cheese. That’s it. No eggs. No cooking. Just blend the mixture and toss it in the ice cream machine. It tastes like a velvety smooth frozen cheesecake. I’ve even made it with fat-free milk and cream cheese and it’s still great.

Then there are the adaptations. Add a little Grand Marnier to cut the sweetness and it becomes an adult ice cream. Top it with a raspberry sauce and it’s elegant. Or, for a combination of crunchy and creamy, make a cookie crust and serve the recipe as a frozen cheesecake.

Blend the mixture in an electric mixer or a blender. It’s very difficult to get a smooth product using a food processor. If there are any lumps remaining, pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Adjust the lemon to taste. I prefer a slightly sharp lemon flavor and use grated lemon rind, but it can be omitted. I also like the Grand Marnier, but it’s certainly optional.

Many ice creams improve if allowed to blend in the freezer. No doubt this one would, too, but I’ve never been able to restrain myself long enough to find out.

LEMON CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM (IT’S A SNAP)

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

2/3 cup sugar

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

Combine milk, lemon juice and peel, Grand Marnier, sugar and cream cheese in blender or mixing bowl and blend or beat with electric mixer until light and thick. Pour into bowl of ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s directions.

To serve, either scoop into bowls and top with Raspberry Sauce or create Mini Cheesecakes.

4 servings. Each 1/2-cup serving:

365 calories; 198 mg sodium; 67 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0 fiber.

RASPBERRY SAUCE

1 cup raspberries

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or orange juice

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons sugar

Process raspberries in blender or food processor until pulpy. Add Grand Marnier and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Process again until sugar is dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if desired.

About 2/3 cup sauce. Each 2-tablespoon serving:

39 calories; 0 sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.74 gram fiber.

MINI CHEESECAKES

10 gingersnaps

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream

Finely grind gingersnaps in food processor. Add melted butter and sugar and process 20 seconds to blend.

Reserve 4 teaspoons crumbs. Pat remainder on bottoms and up sides of 4 (8-ounce) custard cups. Spoon ice cream into prepared cups. Sprinkle remaining 4 teaspoons crumbs over ice cream. Either serve immediately or freeze up to 2 days.

4 servings. Each serving:

489 calories; 342 mg sodium; 85 mg cholesterol; 27 grams fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.02 gram fiber.