{ Creme Fraiche Ice Cream }

Anne Walker of Bi-Rite Creamery & Bakeshop (biritecreamery.com) serves up homemade icecream that has nearly reached cult status in the Bay Area. One of Walker's secrets is to get the milk and cream mixture "nice and hot before you add your egg yolks. That way it goes quickly." Another tip? Add a squeeze of lemon juice just before spinning to punch up the tanginess. Just to be fair, consider yourself warned: this stuff is rich. But it will be a perfect reward for all of your hard work.

1 1/4 cup nonfat milk
2 1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
7 egg yolks
1 cup creme fraiche
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Whisk milk and cream in a heavy-bottom sauce pan with the salt and 1/2 the sugar. Whisk egg yolks in another bowl with remaining sugar.

2. Turn the heat to medium-low and bring cream mixture up to just before a simmer, whisking frequently. Ladle a 1/4 cup of the cream mixture into the egg yolks and beat thoroughly, then pour the egg mixture into the cream mixture. Switch to a spatula and run it along the bottom of the pan constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

3. Set a metal bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice water. Strain the cream mixture through a fine sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth into the smaller bowl and stir. When cooled, whisk in the creme fraiche and vanilla. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for 2 hours.

4. Whisk in the lemon juice and freeze per your ice cream maker's instructions.

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