WHITE CHOCOLATE GELATO

White Chocolate Gelato image

Provided by ratherbeswimmin

Time 50m

Yield 1 quart

Number Of Ingredients 7

5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (use "uncolored" vanilla extract, if possible)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed until the consistency of a very grainy quick-bread batter, about 2 minutes; set aside.
Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan set over medium heat until tiny bubbles pop up around the pan's inner rim; do not boil.
Whisk about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then whisk this combined mixture back into the pan with the remaining hot milk mixture.
Immediately turn down the heat to very low (if using an electric stove, move the pan to a second burner just now set on low).
Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of very wet, loose cake batter and can coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the white chocolate, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any bits of scrambled eggs.
Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
As you prepare your ice cream machine, place the white chocolate custard in the freezer to assure it is very cold, for no more than 10 minutes.
Freeze the custard in your ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions.
Serve at once--or transfer to a freezer container, seal tightly, and store in the freezer for no more than 3 days; soften at room temperature for up to 10 minutes before serving.