Serves8 to 10
                    
                
                
                    
                        
                            - Active time:40 min
 
                        
                            - Start to finish: 6 hr (includes freezing)
 
                        
                    
                
             
            
            
                
                
                
    
      
          
          
          
              
              
              
          
          
          
          
          
              
              
              June 2003
            
          
          
      
  
                
                
            
            
            
                This dessert was inspired by the time-honored tradition of serving gingerbread with lemon sauce—the tang of lemon cuts the richness of molasses.
            
            
            
            
            
                
                    
                    
                    
                        
                            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
                                            
                                        
 
                                    
                                
                            
                         
                    
                 
            
            
            
            
            
                
            
            
            
            
                
                    
                    
                    
                        
                            
                        
                            
                                Make ice cream:
                                
                                
                                    
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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).
                                         
                                    
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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.
                                         
                                    
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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.
                                         
                                    
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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.