Dark Chocolate Gelato
Clearly I have a love affair with eating. The summer before my second born, I learned to drink coffee..slightly Bitter, deep, and smoky. Without a trace of sweetners. This was a new development for my sugar craving palette. Which quickly began to manifest itself in my choice of chocolate. The milk chocolate coating on the candy bars of my youth was replaced by a craving for dark chocolate.A craving for something deeper, richer, and darker than I had tasted before. For tastes of bitterness that were borderline too bitter to tolerate for many people. But that contrasted beautifully sweetness, making it all the more sweet. I imagine that’s what maturity tastes like.
This gelato is Dark and rich yet surprisingly light. Some of the texture is due to the addition of extra chopped dark chocolate (70%) in the mix in the end.As my quest for homemade ice cream continues, I have realized the possibilities of making different kinds of flavors is endless.
Sometimes the most simple recipes are the most flavorful and that’s certainly the case here. This easy recipe has no egg yolks to temper and you don’t need a thermometer to ensure it reaches a certain temperature as it cooks. The addition of cornstarch provides excellent water absorbing properties to reduce the ice crystals that so often plague homemade ice creams and gelatos. Be sure to use high quality cocoa powder
While both gelato and ice cream contain cream, milk and sugar, authentic gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream.Gelato is actually quite simple to make. As simple as it is to make, it’s also easy to convince yourself that it’s healthy. After all, gelato is made with more milk, less cream, giving it a healthy dose of calcium and vitamin D with each serving, without the fat of its American counterpart. Flavors are only limited by how far your imagination can reach. From fruity, to nutty, and everything in between. Feel free to push beyond the traditional flavors and explore something new.
HAPPY CHURNING
Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
100gms dark chocolate, coarsely chopped. Used 85% dark
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Raspberries to garnish (optional)
Materials
Ice cream maker
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Medium saucepan
Sealable, freezer safe storage container
Directions:
Step 1: Combine the cocoa, cornstarch, and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk to combine. Over medium heat, gradually add half of the milk to the sugar mixture, whisking to combine.
Step 2: Bring the milk to a low bubbling boil. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the chocolate pieces until they’re melted. Add the remaining milk and the cream. Chill in the refrigerator until cool.
Step 3: Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon into a sealable storage container and freeze for 2–3 hours or until solid enough to scoop. Enjoy!
