OddFellows - Ricotta Lemon Sponge Cake

Ricotta Lemon Sponge Cake - Sweet Ricotta Ice Cream with Swirls of Lemon Curd and Chunks of Sponge Cake 

 

The next pint from my recent shipment from the Brooklyn based OddFellows Ice Cream is called Ricotta Lemon Sponge Cake.  A note to local readers that I bought this online and I am not aware than any place in the Twin Cities sells OddFellows.  This flavor features a ricotta cheese base with a swirl of lemon curd and chunks of sponge cake.  I have not had a flavor featuring ricotta cheese before.  Ricotta cheese is an Italian whey cheese made from the whey which can be left over when making other cheeses (ricotta means 'recooked' or 'refined' in Italian).  I have enjoyed lemon ricotta pancakes in the past, so the lemon ricotta combination makes sense to me.  Let's check this out.

Removing the lid, the base ice cream is quite white and I can see some bright yellowish sections as well.  Digging in, I can taste the lemon flavor right away.  It is stronger in the yellower sections but still evident throughout.  I think the lemon curd swirl is partially blended into the base -- not a bad thing, just an observation.  The ricotta here acts as a cream-cheese-like balance for the lemon.  It is quite good.  The sponge cake pieces are small, but provide a bit of spongy chewiness when you bite into them.

I liked this pint very much.  Lemon is one of my favorite flavors, but it can be tricky working it into an ice cream flavor.  Using ricotta is a great idea and it works quite well.  Checking my archives, the closest flavors I can find is Lemon Sponge Cake from Izzy's scoop shop days and Van Leeuwen's Royal Wedding Cake.  Both of those added a berry swirl into the mix.  Today's OddFellow's flavor is all lemon.  Lemon lovers should check it out.