Lady&Mister Chef
© 2013 Cristian Lucisano Editore Lady&Mister Chef
Reading - Section 7
Vanilla gelato
1. Stir 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 vanilla pod into 1½ cups of whole milk. Heat gently over a medium-low flame until the milk reaches 149° to 158° on a thermometer; maintain that temperature for 7 minutes.
2. The milk is now sterilised; let it cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, beat 5 large egg yolks in a medium bowl with 1/3 cup of sugar.
3. The egg yolks and sugar should form a thick, dark cream; beat with a wire whisk for about 1 minute to ensure a smooth, even texture.
4. Pour the cooled milk into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, beating all the while to avoid lumps. Beat until smooth (now you can stir in whatever flavouring ingredients you like).
5. Return the mixture to the pan in which
you heated the milk; bring just below a boil over medium-low heat. Stir constantly, skimming the surface with a slotted spoon or spatula. Don’t let the custard come to a boil or it might curdle.
6. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to get rid of any lumps and to discard the vanilla pod. The custard should be absolutely smooth.
7. Cool the custard to room temperature and then pour it into the ice cream machine. Freeze the custard according to manufacturer’s instructions.
8. When the gelato is ready, it will be perfectly smooth and creamy. There will be no ice crystals to mar its texture. Turn the gelato out into a container and freeze until serving time.
