How to make your own gelato

What’s one of the most craved foods during the summer? Gelato! (Okay, maybe it’s ice cream… but they’re kinda similar). But gelato isn’t a fancy name for ice cream! So how are gelato and ice cream different? Essentially, the difference comes down to the amount of fat, density and flavour intensity. Gelato contains less fat, is more dense which results in richer, more intense flavors.

How was that for getting your salivary glands going? Alright, enough chit chat. Let’s get down to business.

Vanilla Gelato

TIPS! (AKA fail-proof lifesaving advice) 

1. While making ice cream may give you some wiggle space for ingredient measurements, balance is key in making gelato. For example, too much sugar can result in a grainy texture and the gelato won’t freeze properly, and too little will make it bland. Be careful with measurements!

2. An easy way to separate egg whites and yolk without special tools is simply to crack the egg in half and with a bowl placed under the egg, place the yolk in the half shells back and forth until the whites are filtered out into the bowl.

3. Be careful when heating milk or cream because they reach their boiling point quickly.

4. Do not let the base/curdle come to a boil because it may curdle! Yuck.

5. Mixing must be done slowly to get the right gelato texture.

6. You can add purees for additional taste, like raspberry purees! Or if you simply have a sweet tooth, feel free to add a cup of nutella with the cream!

INGREDIENTS:

-2 and 1/2 cups of heavy cream or whole milk

-4 egg yolks (that’s the YELLOW stuff!)

-1/2 cup of granulated sugar

-1 vanilla bean

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut the vanilla bean in half and combine it with the cream or milk. Heat the cream until it begins to bubble. Let it cool slightly.

2. Take out the vanilla bean and scrape out the insides. Discard the shell.

3. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks and sugar. Beat until thick and creamy.

4. SLOWLY beat in the cooling cream into the eggs mixture, gradually warming it.

5. Place the bowl on top of a pot containing simmering water. Let stand until the mixture is thick. To test it, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon- if the mixture coats the back of the spoon, you’re good.

6. Now remove the bowl from the pot and let it cool.

7. Strain the custard through a fine sieve. Then refrigerate it until it is well chilled.

8. Take out your handy dandy ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER…

9. Pour the custard into a metal pan and set it in the freezer. When the edges are frozen, take it out, mix it then place it back in the freezer. Repeat this until the entire mixture is frozen.

Hope your gelato turns out delicious! Good luck.