Best Gelato Di Crema Vanilla Cream Base For Gelato Recipes

ITALIAN CREMA ICE CREAM (GELATO ALLA CREMA)

Steps:

• Pour milk into a saucepan. Add 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar and egg yolks. Whisk thoroughly. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently with a spatula, until custard is steaming-hot and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and salt and remove from heat.
• Pour custard through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate until completely chilled, 8 hours to overnight.
• Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions, about 20 minutes. Seal top with plastic wrap, cover with a lid, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

GELATO DI CREMA

Steps:

• In a saucepan, mix all the ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture lightly thickened (a finger drawn across the back of a spoon should leave a path in the custard). Do not boil. Chill custard completely. Freeze in ice-cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer gelato to a container and place in freezer for 30 minutes to ripen and achieve the correct consistency. If gelato overfreezes, thaw slightly before serving.
• Gelato will keep in the freezer for one week.

OLIVE OIL GELATO

Steps:

• Add the milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla bean to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a very low simmer. Keep an eye on it and stir often while you prepare the egg yolks.
• Meanwhile, add the yolks, sugar and salt to a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and beat vigorously for another minute or so until it's completely emulsified.
• Slowly ladle in about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the eggs and olive oil, whisking the whole time. This is called tempering - it's getting the yolks used to the hot temperature of the milk and preventing them from scrambling. Add the tempered eggs back into the milk in the saucepan and stir until it thickens just slightly and coats the back of a spoon. This should take about 5 minutes.
• Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into an 8-cup measuring cup. Let cool, and then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. You want the mixture to cool down completely and be well chilled before you run it in your ice cream machine. You can make this the night before.
• Freeze the ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions - you should let it run about 30 minutes - until it looks like soft serve. Then place the ice cream back into the freezer until firm, another hour. Keep in mind that gelato is softer than ice cream.

NOCCIOLA GELATO: HAZELNUT GELATO

Steps:

• Grind the hazelnuts to a very fine paste (this can be done in a blender or coffee grinder).
• Warm milk until the edge is ringed with tiny bubbles. Turn off heat at once. Put in the hazelnut paste, mix thoroughly, and cover. Allow to cool completely.
• Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth. Set over a bowl and pour the hazelnut milk mixture into the strainer and press as much through as possible. Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth, suspend over the bowl, and allow to drip through. When mixture stops dripping, squeeze gently. In another bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and foamy. Add the strained milk mixture mixing in a little at a time.
• Pour everything into top of double boiler over medium heat. Stir constantly and cook for 3 to 4 minutes after the water in the bottom has started to bubble. Pour into a bowl. Allow to cool completely then chill. Freeze according to ice cream machine directions.

VANILLA GELATO BITES WITH CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Place a small tray or a plate in the freezer. Remove the gelato from the freezer to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the chilled tray from the freezer. Scoop out 16 bite-sized balls of gelato and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Remove from the freezer and quickly insert a wooden popstick into each gelato ball. Return them to the freezer for at least 1 hour.
• When the gelato balls have frozen with their sticks in place, place the chocolate in a double-boiler over very gently simmering water until melted. Next to the pot of chocolate, place the toasted, chopped hazelnuts in a shallow bowl.
• Remove the gelato balls from the freezer, 4 at a time. Working quickly, hold the gelato ball by the stick and dip into the melted chocolate, then dredge it in the hazelnuts. Return them to the freezer and continue with 4 more gelato balls, until all the gelato balls are covered in chocolate and nuts. Freeze the chocolate-and-nut-covered gelato for at least 1 hour.
• These are very fun, festive, and tasty. The ice cream scoop I used is a number 40 (holds 1 tablespoon, is 1 1/2 inches in diameter.)

GELATO-STYLE VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup milk and the cornstarch in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Combine the remaining 2 cups milk, the heavy cream, sugar and salt in a medium high-sided saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until steaming, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 5 minutes (it will foam up a bit). Boil, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
• Pour the mixture into a medium heatproof bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until the mixture stops steaming, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until cold, 2 to 3 hours.
• Stir the mixture, then strain it if it looks lumpy. Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions until the consistency of soft serve. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

GELATO ALLA CREMA (EGG CREAM GELATO)

Steps:

• Combine milk and cream in a saucepan and warm over low heat until foam forms around the edges. Remove from heat.
• Combine egg yolks, sugar, scraped vanilla bean seeds, and chestnut flour in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually pour warm milk into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
• Return mixture to saucepan; add scraped vanilla bean and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture gels slightly and coats the back of the spoon. If small egg lumps begin to show, remove from heat immediately.
• Pour mixture through a sieve or fine strainer into a bowl. Cover, and chill for several hours or overnight.
• Pour mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a sealed container, and freeze until firm. If the gelato is too firm, place it in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired consistency before serving.

CIAO BELLA'S PLAIN GELATO BASE (GELATO DE CREMA)

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine milk and cream. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn't form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and mixture reaches a temperature of 170 degrees.
• Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper egg yolks by very slowly pouring in hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. Return custard to saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185 degrees. Do not bring to a boil.
• Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so. To cool custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the bowl with the custard in it; stir custard until cooled. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Makes enough for about 1 quart (or 4 cups) of gelato.