I Tried it and I Liked it: Homemade Chocolate Gelato

There are no pictures of this gelato because we ate it before I had time to grab the camera. But don't worry, I'll make more! :)

We purchased an ice cream maker off of Craigslist. I stumbled upon this gelato recipe and I knew I had to try it. I love gelato - not only for the rich taste, but because it has less fat than traditional ice cream. Also, many homemade ice creams, due to their high fat content, end up leaving a think reside on your tongue. Not only does that texture gross me out, but it also dampens the taste of the ice cream and who needs that?

I'm going to do my best to make this recipe my base; I love the fact that it only uses whole milk instead of cream. I also love that it reduces the number of eggs used and instead incorporates a bit of corn starch (as thickeners).

Follow the directions exactly and do not attempt unless you have a fine strainer or cheesecloth! Straining is a key component of smooth gelato!

Chocolate Gelato I'm also posting the directions here for future reference. Be sure to check out the blog because the pictures are divine and there's a very good description of the differences between ice cream and gelato!

ingredients

* 4 ounces (112g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 3 cups (750ml) whole milk
* 2 large egg yolks
* 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
* ¼ tsp sea salt
* ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 ½ TB (15g) cornstarch
* ½ tsp vanilla

instructions

1. Half fill a large bowl with cold water. Add a few handfuls of ice cubes. Set ice bath aside.
2. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and melt over a double boiler or in the microwave, stir until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl and set aside.
3. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks, the sugar and salt until it thick and slightly paler in color. Sift in the cocoa powder and cornstarch and whisk until a paste forms.
5. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle half of the hot milk into the cocoa mixture, and whisk until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan, whisk to combine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 5 minutes), do not boil.
6. Slowly strain the hot mixture over the reserved melted chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is completely incorporated and smooth then add the vanilla.
7. Place the bowl in the larger bowl of ice water and stir the mixture occasionally to prevent a skin from forming, then cover the surface with wax paper, and store covered in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 1 day before churning. (The mix is best if it is aged (stored in the refrigerator) overnight. This resting period improves the churning qualities of the mix and improves the body and texture of the gelato.)
8. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker. Transfer to an air-tight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. Let soften for about 5 minutes before serving.

Number of servings (yield): 8, (about 1 quart)

Meal type: dessert

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Comments

  1. Thank you for trying my gelato recipe, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was wonderful! I'm making up a double batch soon. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

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