Raspberry Gelato (Adapted from recipe on PickYourOwn.org)

Makes approx. 1.5 liters

Prep time:

Active: 25 mins.

Inactive: 8-10 hours

Ingredients:

• 8  egg yolks (reserve whites for another use)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder
• 1 cup light cream or half and half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups organic raspberries (if using frozen, measure frozen but thaw before making puree) or 3 cups of other suitable fresh fruit
• various ice cream toppings of choice

Method:

1. Separate egg whites from egg yolks are use whites for another purpose.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, and buttermilk  powder until the sugar dissolves.
3. Place  one cup of the milk mixture into another smaller bowl and whisk in the egg yolks one at a time until smooth.
4. Heat the remaining milk mixture over a saucepan on a diffuser or in the top of a double boiler on low heat until mixture begins to simmer, then remove from heat for five minutes or so.
5. Take one cup of the heated milk mixture and gently our it into the milk with egg yolks in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly.
6. One the heated milk is completely in the egg mix, pour the egg mix back into the heated mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly as you do so as well.
7. Heat the mix in the double boiler over simmering water, making sure the top pan doesn’t touch the simmering water inside, stirring constantly until mixture thickens but does not boil, then remove from  heat.
8. Place  a stainless mixing bowl  into a sink full of  ice water (not deep enough to get the water into the bowl. Pour the thin custard through a strainer set over the bowl and discard any solids.
9. To this add the light cream (or half and half) as well as the vanilla. and mix well before allowing to cool completely.
10. Place plastic against the top of the custard to prevent skin from forming, the refrigerate until chilled,  6-8 hours.
11. For the raspberries, measure out 3 cups (I used fresh).  Frozen are fine,  but measure them while frozen and then let them thaw. Measuring them after thawing can distort the amount as the can get mushy.
12. Puree the berries in a food processor. You can also mash them the old-fashioned way with a potato masher or even fork.  Same thing if you  choose to use 3 cups of another time of berry or something like strawberries or chopped peaches, although mashing may be more difficult with firmer fruit. Microwaving difficult fruits can help soften them and make them easier to handle and mash, but generally, a food processor will pulverize them without a second thought.
13. Place both mixtures into your ice cream machine and run according  to directions. If you’re using a prefrozen tub, don’t forget to get it frozen beforehand.
14. After completing the machine cycle, eat at once or freeze to firm up a bit further, depending on how it turns out.
15. I served my gelato with simple toppings such as chocolate syrup. raspberry syrup, whipped cream, extra raspberries, toasted almonds, and wafer cookies and it was a delight. Use whichever finishing toppings you like!

Strain the custard into the bowl of cream, and stir over the ice bath until the custard is completely cool.  Add the vanilla extract.  Pour the custard into a jug (that will make pouring into the ice cream maker easier later on).  Cover with cling film, pressing the cling film right down onto the surface of the custard so that the whole surface is covered.  Refrigerate to chill thoroughly – at least about 8 hours, but preferably overnight.

Now you’re ready to make ice cream.  Puree the raspberries for a couple of minutes in the food processor or blender, and strain if you prefer to remove the seeds.  Remove custard from the fridge.

Set your ice cream machine churning and pour in the custard followed by the raspberry puree.  (You could mix the custard and fruit together before pouring into your machine, but I found that my churn did a good job of mixing them for me.)  Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions, then serve straight from the churn, or freeze for a couple of hours if you prefer a firmer texture.

Adapted from a recipe at CouscousandConsciouness.com

as prepared by Palatablepastime.com