I finally made a batch that was perfectly smooth, creamy and wonderful. Too bad I ruined it with too much lime zest and not enough sugar...
On the plus side, I have an idea now of what I need to do to consistently make ice cream batches that come out with the consistency and texture I've been looking for. Will update next week after some experimenting.
Showing posts with label gelato. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gelato. Show all posts
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Rosemary Honey Gelato
Wow. This was fun. And delicious. I decided to try and make this batch of gelato without eggs in an attempt to get a denser ice cream without anything extra to play with the flavors. This is a Sicilian-style gelato that uses cornstarch to thicken the base while cooking.
A couple of notes: this batch was extremely intense right out of the machine; the honey flavor was sharp and the rosemary left a strong bite. After letting the batch set in the freezer overnight, it seems to have mellowed considerably, though it could be seasonal allergies wrecking havoc on my ability to taste or smell anything. I used eucalyptus honey which is very sweet and syrupy. Next time, I think a darker, smokier honey would be better, as the sweetness does seem to get in the way of the rosemary. I think a darker honey would also be better if I ever get my hands on some lavender so I can make lavender infused gelato.
Second, since this base does not use any egg, I decided to use whole milk with the hope of avoiding weird water crystals during freezing and setting. This seemed to work out well; the gelato feels a little gritty when scooping, and the appearance is not quite as smooth as I was hoping for, but the taste is wonderful and no real iciness creeps in when eating.
Also, I hate straining. All the recipes I read for gelato call for straining out zest and herbs prior to freezing. I am of the opinion that these will add flavor and character to the batch when it is served. So long as it is edible and does not look particularly nasty or messes with the texture of the ice cream, it stays in. If you prefer to keep such things out of your ice cream, strain the mixture after it cools prior to freezing.
Special Equipment:
Ice cream machine
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half (set aside 1/3 cup)
3 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup honey
1-2 Tbsp chopped rosemary
Makes about 1 quart
In a small bowl, mix the 1/3 cup half and half with the corn starch until the starch is dissolved and the slurry is smooth. Set aside.
In a saucepan, heat the whole milk and remaining half and half, adding the rosemary after the liquid begins to heat through (2-3 minutes on medium heat.) Add the slurry just before the mixture begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the honey. Stir rapidly and thoroughly mix the honey, making sure it is completely dissolved.
Continue to cook and stir over low heat for several minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Pay particular attention to scraping the bottom of the pan with a wood spoon or rubber spatula, as you want to avoid scorching. Remove from heat before the mixture begins to boil and pour into a large bowl. Set aside to cool or place the bowl in an ice bath. While the mixture is cooling, a skin may form on the top. Just whisk this back into the mixture.
Once the mixture is down to around room temperature, place the bowl in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. If you are able, give the mixture a little vigorous stirring every so often and taste check to see if the rosemary is strong enough for your liking. If the rosemary is a touch weak, you can add more chopped herb to the mixture while it is cooling.
Again, I prefer to freeze the mixture for about an hour or two to make the machine process a little easier since the ice cream maker I use does not have a built in compressor. If you find that your batches do not freeze well or remain very runny when in the machine, this may help out in getting a thicker batch.
I've found that when using a freezing core like the one here, if you can scrape the sides easily with a rubber spatula, you're in a good place as far as consistency is concerned. Sometimes with this type of machine, the ice cream will freeze solid to the bottom and sides. Generally, this means there is too much water in the mixture. It is often a problem with sorbetto recipes, as they contain no milk fats.
One of the nice things about this recipe is that it makes for an excellent morning treat after a constant awakenings by cats.
A couple of notes: this batch was extremely intense right out of the machine; the honey flavor was sharp and the rosemary left a strong bite. After letting the batch set in the freezer overnight, it seems to have mellowed considerably, though it could be seasonal allergies wrecking havoc on my ability to taste or smell anything. I used eucalyptus honey which is very sweet and syrupy. Next time, I think a darker, smokier honey would be better, as the sweetness does seem to get in the way of the rosemary. I think a darker honey would also be better if I ever get my hands on some lavender so I can make lavender infused gelato.
Second, since this base does not use any egg, I decided to use whole milk with the hope of avoiding weird water crystals during freezing and setting. This seemed to work out well; the gelato feels a little gritty when scooping, and the appearance is not quite as smooth as I was hoping for, but the taste is wonderful and no real iciness creeps in when eating.
Also, I hate straining. All the recipes I read for gelato call for straining out zest and herbs prior to freezing. I am of the opinion that these will add flavor and character to the batch when it is served. So long as it is edible and does not look particularly nasty or messes with the texture of the ice cream, it stays in. If you prefer to keep such things out of your ice cream, strain the mixture after it cools prior to freezing.
 |
| Bonk appétit! |
Ice cream machine
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half (set aside 1/3 cup)
3 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup honey
1-2 Tbsp chopped rosemary
Makes about 1 quart
In a small bowl, mix the 1/3 cup half and half with the corn starch until the starch is dissolved and the slurry is smooth. Set aside.
In a saucepan, heat the whole milk and remaining half and half, adding the rosemary after the liquid begins to heat through (2-3 minutes on medium heat.) Add the slurry just before the mixture begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the honey. Stir rapidly and thoroughly mix the honey, making sure it is completely dissolved.
Continue to cook and stir over low heat for several minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Pay particular attention to scraping the bottom of the pan with a wood spoon or rubber spatula, as you want to avoid scorching. Remove from heat before the mixture begins to boil and pour into a large bowl. Set aside to cool or place the bowl in an ice bath. While the mixture is cooling, a skin may form on the top. Just whisk this back into the mixture.
Once the mixture is down to around room temperature, place the bowl in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. If you are able, give the mixture a little vigorous stirring every so often and taste check to see if the rosemary is strong enough for your liking. If the rosemary is a touch weak, you can add more chopped herb to the mixture while it is cooling.
Again, I prefer to freeze the mixture for about an hour or two to make the machine process a little easier since the ice cream maker I use does not have a built in compressor. If you find that your batches do not freeze well or remain very runny when in the machine, this may help out in getting a thicker batch.
One of the nice things about this recipe is that it makes for an excellent morning treat after a constant awakenings by cats.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Double Chocolate Gelato (w/ peppermint patty pieces)
I haven't felt very inspired with my cooking lately, but this gelato wound up being quite nice. No pictures this week since the combination of poor photography skills and brown ice cream really doesn't make for good viewing.
Before we start, a couple of things I have found about gelato making: fat is good - the higher fat content in the base, the more creamy the end product. I tried making a couple batches of ice cream early on with low-fat and skim milks, but they came out more like an Italian ice with a pretty noticeable crystalline texture. Low fat will result in faster melting time and may cause problems with thickening and consistency in the freezing process.
Most ice cream and even gelato recipes are custard based, that is, they incorporate egg yolk into the base to create a thicker, creamy mixture that is then frozen and aerated in an ice cream maker. I was told that true gelato is not custard based which results in denser product when frozen. Without an expert to consult on this point, I've simply been adding yogurt to the base as a thickening agent at the ratio of 2 tsp yogurt for each egg yolk called for. The results have been quite nice. Eventually, I'll try making a gelato without a thickener and will report back.
In this recipe, I used a combination of milk and dark chocolates in a 3:1 ratio. It is certainly easy enough to change the types and amounts of chocolate to suit your tastes. The end product in this recipe was not overly sweet, but very rich with the dark chocolate adding more of an undertone than real body to the ice cream.
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half and half (you can use whole milk if you like, but half and half works well enough and cuts down significantly on fat and saturated fat content.)
50g dark chocolate
150g milk chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract.
2 Tbsp butter.
8 tsp plain yogurt or 4 egg yolks (I like plain yogurt because it takes the edge off the sweetness of the base, but feel free to use vanilla if you want.)
1/2 cup chopped peppermint patties (optional)
Yields about 3 pints.
Extra equipment:
ice cream machine
double boiler
candy thermometer
Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler until smooth, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Add the milks to the chocolate and blend over low heat. Add sugar and increase the heat to medium/low and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved and the base is smooth, remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a large separate bowl, whisk the vanilla extract and yogurt/eggs until well blended. Slowly add the still warm base to the yogurt/eggs. This is done to prevent the any curdling or scrambling that would occur if adding the yogurt/eggs directly to the very warm base. Mix well.
Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan and stir over medium heat until the mixture is 170 degrees. Little bubbles will begin forming around the edges and the mixture will thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate for several hours or over night. Freeze in ice cream maker according to instructions, adding any the peppermint patty pieces after the ice cream begins to firm up.
Before freezing, I've found that sticking the mixture in the freeze for an hour or two helps in getting the ice cream to a nice thick density. This is especially true if you are using an ice cream maker that does not have a built-in compressor. Freeze in an air tight container for several hours before serving if you want it to be firmer.
As I said, this is may be closer to an American-style ice cream than a true Italian gelato given the use of a thickener and custard-style base, but in any event, it is delicious, rich, creamy, and a great cure for chocolate cravings.
Before we start, a couple of things I have found about gelato making: fat is good - the higher fat content in the base, the more creamy the end product. I tried making a couple batches of ice cream early on with low-fat and skim milks, but they came out more like an Italian ice with a pretty noticeable crystalline texture. Low fat will result in faster melting time and may cause problems with thickening and consistency in the freezing process.
Most ice cream and even gelato recipes are custard based, that is, they incorporate egg yolk into the base to create a thicker, creamy mixture that is then frozen and aerated in an ice cream maker. I was told that true gelato is not custard based which results in denser product when frozen. Without an expert to consult on this point, I've simply been adding yogurt to the base as a thickening agent at the ratio of 2 tsp yogurt for each egg yolk called for. The results have been quite nice. Eventually, I'll try making a gelato without a thickener and will report back.
In this recipe, I used a combination of milk and dark chocolates in a 3:1 ratio. It is certainly easy enough to change the types and amounts of chocolate to suit your tastes. The end product in this recipe was not overly sweet, but very rich with the dark chocolate adding more of an undertone than real body to the ice cream.
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half and half (you can use whole milk if you like, but half and half works well enough and cuts down significantly on fat and saturated fat content.)
50g dark chocolate
150g milk chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract.
2 Tbsp butter.
8 tsp plain yogurt or 4 egg yolks (I like plain yogurt because it takes the edge off the sweetness of the base, but feel free to use vanilla if you want.)
1/2 cup chopped peppermint patties (optional)
Yields about 3 pints.
Extra equipment:
ice cream machine
double boiler
candy thermometer
Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler until smooth, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Add the milks to the chocolate and blend over low heat. Add sugar and increase the heat to medium/low and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved and the base is smooth, remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a large separate bowl, whisk the vanilla extract and yogurt/eggs until well blended. Slowly add the still warm base to the yogurt/eggs. This is done to prevent the any curdling or scrambling that would occur if adding the yogurt/eggs directly to the very warm base. Mix well.
Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan and stir over medium heat until the mixture is 170 degrees. Little bubbles will begin forming around the edges and the mixture will thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate for several hours or over night. Freeze in ice cream maker according to instructions, adding any the peppermint patty pieces after the ice cream begins to firm up.
Before freezing, I've found that sticking the mixture in the freeze for an hour or two helps in getting the ice cream to a nice thick density. This is especially true if you are using an ice cream maker that does not have a built-in compressor. Freeze in an air tight container for several hours before serving if you want it to be firmer.
As I said, this is may be closer to an American-style ice cream than a true Italian gelato given the use of a thickener and custard-style base, but in any event, it is delicious, rich, creamy, and a great cure for chocolate cravings.
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