1. Gather All Your Ingredients: Before you begin, make sure you have your cottage cheese, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt all measured out and ready to go. This makes the blending process much smoother.

2. Combine Ingredients in a Blender: Add the cottage cheese, fresh lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt into a high-speed blender. Make sure the lid is securely on.

3. Blend Until Completely Smooth: Process the mixture on high speed until it is completely smooth and creamy. There should be no visible curds from the cottage cheese. This might take 1-3 minutes, depending on your blender. You’re looking for a consistency similar to a thick smoothie or a very soft serve ice cream.

4. Taste and Adjust Sweetness: Once blended, take a small spoonful and taste the mixture. If you prefer it sweeter, add a little more honey or maple syrup and blend again briefly to incorporate. If you want more lemon tang, add a tiny bit more lemon juice.

5. Pour into a Freezer-Safe Container: Transfer the smooth cottage cheese mixture into a freezer-safe container. A shallow container with a lid works best, as it allows the mixture to freeze more evenly.

6. Freeze Until Firm: Place the container in the freezer for at least 2-4 hours, or until the ice cream is firm enough to scoop. For an even creamier texture, you can stir the mixture every hour or so during the first half of the freezing process to break up any ice crystals, though this isn’t strictly necessary.

7. Serve and Enjoy: Once frozen to your desired consistency, scoop out the cottage cheese lemon ice cream and serve immediately. It will be firm but still creamy.