Lemon Gelato with White Chocolate Chips

I had a heavy dinner planned and wanted to make a light dessert.  But I still wanted it to be special.  I wanted to make gelato, but I don't have a gelato maker.   I used a gelato recipe and then made it in my Kitchen Aid ice cream maker.   The lemon is really tart so I added some chopped white chocolate chips.

Lemon Gelato with White Chocolate Chips

1 cup whole milk
1 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
3 Tablespoon lemon zest, this took 3 lemons
3/4 cup lemon juice, this took 3 1/2 lemons, so buy 4
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped white chocolate chips

 

Start the recipe at least one day before you mean to serve it.  You have to chill the ice cream base and then you have to chill the finished product until it firms up.  Place the ice cream maker bowl in the freezer, if it isn't already there.  You will want it REALLY frozen.

Heat the milk over medium low heat.  Do not let it boil.  Stir in the sugar and continue to stir until it dissolves.  Remove from the heat.

 

Whisk the egg yolks. 

 

Zest the lemons.  I used 4 lemons for this recipe.  But I only needed 3 for their zest.  I zested them all and then saved the additional lemon zest for the cookies I was going to make for this dessert.  Just place any zest you don't need in a Ziploc bag and stick it in the refrigerator.

The milk should have cooled for a bit.  Take about 1/4 cup and drizzle it into the whisked eggs, while whisking.  Do this two more times.  You are trying to get the eggs heated up without making scrambled eggs.  Then slowly add the rest of the milk mixture to the eggs, still continuing to whisk.  Return the eggs and milk to the pan and place it back on the heat. 

 

Add the lemon zest and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil.  If you do it will get that yucky milk skin and this does not make for good ice cream.

 

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and cream.  Place in a bowl with a lip for pouring.  Press plastic wrap on the surface of the custard and chill for several hours or over night.  I planned ahead for this, so I chilled it overnight.  If it isn't super cold, it won't freeze into ice cream well.

 

Before you remove the custard from the refrigerator, set up the ice cream maker.  Start it turning very slowly.  Then get out the custard, remove the plastic wrap and pour it carefully into the ice cream maker bowl, while the paddle is turning.  It will be really thick and creamy, so use a spatula to get it all in.  If you pour it in first, the ice cream (gelato!) may freeze in too thick of a layer for the paddle to turn.  It should fill a Kitchen Aid bowl about 2/3 full.  The paddle will add air to the mixture and it will rise to the top of the bowl.

 

While the ice cream maker was doing all the work for me, I chopped some white chocolate chips.  I looked for mini chips, like they have for chocolate chips, but there were none.  I didn't want big hunks of frozen chips in the ice cream.  That might be disconcerting to bite down on.

 

After the ice cream had risen to the top of the bowl, I added the white chocolate chips, making sure there were no large, unchopped ones.  This can be done by chopping some more, or by eating the big ones.  Your choice.  No points for guessing what I did!

 

Run the ice cream maker for a few more minutes to make sure the chips are all mixed in and then remove the base and use a rubber spatula to transfer the ice cream (gelato!) to a plastic freezer container. 

 

Chill for 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.

   

I served this in a champagne glass with a sprig of mint and a lemon palmier.  Those were easy and fast and I will tell you how soon. 

Strawberry Ice Cream

Lee bought me an ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer.  I found  a lot of different recipes on line.  I found an amount that would fit in the Kitchen Aid in one batch and used that as a baseline.  Even though it is not summer, I decided on strawberry ice cream.  I started with a French Vanilla base and then added in the strawberries at the end.  I may someday try just the vanilla.

This was my first attempt with my Kitchen Aid attachment.  If only I could eat ice cream every day, I could make ice cream every week!  I could try lots of fun flavors.  Wouldn't that be great?  sigh

If you are using the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker, and just got it, wash and dry it completely.  Place it in the freezer for HOURS.  It's best to just keep it in there for when the mood strikes.  But at least keep it there over night.  This process takes a whole other day to make, so don't start it the morning of your ice cream party.  It is a plan ahead kind of thing.

Strawberry Ice Cream

2 1/2 cups sliced strawberries  This used almost a whole quart size tub
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

5 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cup half & half.  You can just use 2 cups of the half & half, but I went with some whole milk.
    Cause I wanted this to be guilt free!  And, yes, I know I am deluding myself.  sigh
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 4 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

 


 

Wash the strawberries and cut off the stem and leaves.  Then place them on a double thick section of paper towel.  Dry them thoroughly and slice them up.  The drying part is important as it keeps ice crystals from forming.

 

Mix the strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice and place them in the refrigerator to chill.

 

Heat the milk and half & half in a medium saucepan until very hot, but not boiling.  Stir often.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

 

Place the egg yolks and sugar in the mixing bowl of the Kitchen Aid and whip them with the wire whip.  Mix on Speed 2 for about 30 seconds.

While the whip is still mixing the eggs, slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk into the egg mixture.  Then pour a bit more.  You are trying to temper the eggs and make sure they don't turn to scrambled eggs when you cook them. There are recipes where you don't cook the eggs and milk, but I think the eggs need to be cooked.  So there.

Continue adding the hot milk mixture to the eggs in a drizzle until you have added all of it.  Then pour the whole thing back into the medium saucepan and return it to the stove.  Cook until small bubbles begin to form at the edges of the pan, while stirring often.  It should be very warm, but not boil.

 

Pour the milk and egg mixture into a large bowl.  I like to strain it first, so I poured it through a strainer.  Add the heavy cream and the salt.  I found some vanilla bean paste in an Amish store and have been using that instead of a whole vanilla bean.  They are so expensive and they tend to dry out so when I found this paste I was thrilled! 

 

Add the vanilla to the mix, stir, cover and chill in the refrigerator for HOURS.  The directions called for 8 hours.  But I only gave it 6 hours and it was very cold and made ice cream in a reasonable time, so use your own judgment. 

 

Assemble the Kitchen Aid gadget.  The paddle does not attach to the little doohickey that goes on the spindle.  You slide the doohickey on the spindle, snap the icy cold bowl on the Kitchen Aid stand and hold the paddle in the bowl with one hand, while you raise the bowl with the other had.  The doohickey sits on the paddle and it will turn that way.

 

Turn on the paddle to Stir or speed 1.  I had to transfer the ice cream base to a bowl with a spout.  Then, WHILE THE PADDLE IS TURNING SLOWLY, add the ice cream base.  If you pour it in first and then start the paddle, it may freeze too much for the paddle to scrape off.  Find something to do for 15 or 20 minutes because that is how long it takes to make ice cream. 

(If you want French Vanilla, you may stop here. and follow the directions after you add the strawberry puree.  It you want the strawberry flavor, keep on going.

Actually, at about 15 minutes, take the sliced strawberries out of the fridge and puree them using a stick blender.  When the ice cream has thickened it will rise to almost the top of the freezer bowl.  Add strawberry puree to the mixer and let it mix for about 5 more minutes.  It may not blend completely, but it will be fine and get more mixed when you transfer it.

 

The ice cream is now about the consistency of soft serve and you should definitely taste a bit.  Or more than a bit. 

 

But first scrape it into a container that you can cover and place in the fridge.  You will want to chill the rest to ice cream consistency.  Some will want to stick to the sides of the freezer bowl so scrape it with a rubber spatula until you get most of it in the container. 

 

Chill the ice cream for several hours or overnight.  See why I tell you to start a few days ahead?

 

The ice cream was very good, but not glorious.  I want to try other flavors and maybe play around with butterfat content.  And chocolate.  I definitely want to try chocolate.  Maybe chocolate with brownie pieces in it.  Yeah, definitely THAT.