By Matthew Luca
Ingredients: (Vanilla based Gelato)
500ml Double cream
500ml Full fat Milk
300g Caster sugar
8 Egg yolks
1 Vanilla pod
Method
In a large mixing bowl pour in the sugar, egg yolks and then whisk until it appears as a runny liquid, set aside.
In a heavy based pan, add the milk, cream and seeds from the vanilla pod and cook on a high heat until small bubbles begin to form around the inside rim of the pan. (just before it begins to boil) then turn off heat (do not let boil).
Add a very small amount of the hot milk to the eggs and sugar and stir gently until combined then add a bit more in stages slowly increasing the amount of hot milk you whisk into the eggs. When finished pour the mixture back into the pan and cook on a medium to high heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to stick to the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat and transfer into a mixing bowl and leave to cool, when cold cover with cling film and place in the fridge until chilled.
Once chilled thoroughly empty the mixture into one or two sealed sandwich bags and double bag them for extra strength, then place in the freezer, every hour or so give the sandwich bag a gentle squeeze to help churn the Gelato until its firm enough to remove from the bags easily. Empty the gelato into a freezer proof plastic container and now you have your own homemade Gelato for whenever you need it. (Video recipe below).
Tutti Frutti Gelato
Add some candied chopped mix fruit and a couple of drops of orange essence to some Vanilla Gelato, mix gently and allow to re-firm in the freezer.
Strawberry Gelato
Simply add some chopped strawberries to the Vanilla gelato and mix thoroughly and allow to re-firm in the freezer.
Affogato
This is an Italian favourite, simply pour an espresso shot over vanilla gelato and serve with a crisp wafer. Mine is also garnished with crushed pistachio. (please only use fresh filtered coffee ), I used my espresso machine as it adds a good crema to the coffee. (Lavazza) :-)
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