Then this is the type of ice cream for you. Gelato is similar to your basic ice cream, but the fat content is higher. While out previous recipes have been very basic, this recipe involves egg yolks. The extra fat and proteins in the yolks bring a whole new level of richness to the cream. This is a cooked ice cream, and since we're dealing with egg yolks, we'll need to enlist our tempering skills that we use in the cream pies. Basically, it's the way we can add the egg yolks slowly into a hot mixture without making Scrambled Egg Gelato.
Now this recipe is for Chocolate Gelato because, well, chocolate is gooooooooood... but you can create almost any flavor by following these rules. Different ingredients should be added at different times so you don't bind up the ice cream maker.
1. Vanilla - As you take the mixture off the heat, add an extra teaspoon of vanilla to intensiy the flavor. If you have access to a vanilla bean you can do this instead: Slice open one bean, scrape out the interior, add the bean husk and scrapings to the pot as you cook the mixture, then remove the bean after the cooking is complete.
2. Candy types, such as Oreo, M&M, Reese's, etc: Prepare the mixture as you would for Vanilla. Right before you stop churning the mixture in your ice cream machine, add 1/2 to a full cup of your candy. Let it mix for another 2-3 minutes. I'd also recommend putting the candy into the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you add it to the gelato mixture. A room temperature ingredient added to ice cream will cause it to melt a little bit.
3. Fruit where you are using the fruit - Use 1 cup of fruit. Crush or puree 1/2 of the fruit and add it while you're cooking the mixture. Slice the remaining fruit into small bits and add the remaining 1/2 cup just before you're done churning the ice cream. Once again, chilling the fruit before you add it is recommended.
4. Fruit where you're using the juice (like Lemon, Orange, etc) - During the cooking stage, add 1/2 cup of the juice. If you're using a citrus fruit, also add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the zest while you're cooking as well.
But for today, we're going to stick to the Chocolate. Remember to use good cocoa powder here. The better the ingredients, the better the ice cream.
Chocolate Gelato
Makes roughly a quart and a half
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine the whole milk, whipping cream and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly stir in the cocoa powder, adding 1/4 cup at a time, until it's well combined. Turn the heat on, medium heat that is, and stir occasionally. Watch it slowly come up to a simmer. While that's happening, turn your attention to eggs.
Separate out the egg yolks and pour them into a large bowl or a standing mixer's bowl. Beat the yolks on medium high speed until they become lighter in color and frothier. SLOWLY add the sugar to the eggs, continually mixing the two. Once all of the sugar is incorporated, continue to mix on medium to high speed until the eggs drip off the bottom of the beater in a long ribbon.
When the milk and cream reach the simmer stage, it's time to slowly incorporate the two mixtures. Scoop 1/8 cup of the really warm liquid out of the saucepan and slowly pour it into the egg mixture, while constantly stirring the eggs. Repeat 4 times so the temperature of the eggs slowly increases and prevents the eggs from scrambling.
Now slowly pour the entire contents from the egg mixture into the saucepan, stirring the entire time. Once everything is combined, cook on that medium heat and bring it back to the simmer stage. (Don't let it get to the boiling stage.) Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Pour it into a bowl with a tight lid (don't use the lid yet...) and allow it to cool on the counter for 10-15 minutes. Put the lid on the bowl and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Fire up the ice cream maker, add the chilled mixture into the bowl and freeze it according to the manufacturer's recommendations (usually 30-35 minutes on the hard serve setting). Scoop the frozen cream back into that same bowl with a lid and drop it into the freezer for at least 2-3 hours. Then serve any way you'd like.
If you have an extremely efficient freezer and your gelato is hard to scoop, then put the whole bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds, no more. Since this is a fattier ice cream, it'll warm and soften just enough. Just DON'T go any longer!
So mix up a few batches of gelato, drop them in the bowels of your freezer and save them for a very sunny day.
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