In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, and half of the granulated sugar over medium heat. Stir gently until warm, about 5–7 minutes.

Crack the egg yolks into a bowl and whisk with remaining sugar until pale yellow and thickened for 2–3 minutes.

Gradually drizzle warm cream mixture into egg yolks while whisking continuously to temper the eggs.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened to a smooth consistency, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 4 hours or until completely cold.

Transfer the chilled custard to an ice cream maker and churn according to instructions, about 20–25 minutes.

After churning, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, smooth the top, and freeze for about 4 hours until firm.