Gelato: Mango
After learning to make pizza and gelato in Florence, Italy in April, I finally got around to actually making the gelato a couple of weekends ago. A few points: Gelato is Italian ice cream. It has nothing to do with gelatin. Gelato has more milk, and very little cream. Ergo, less fat, and somehow, an enhanced taste. It has at the most 4 ingredients, and is very easy to make. It’s a bit denser than ice cream, which I actually like. I used the Williams Sonoma ice cream maker, you may use whatever tools/methods you typically make ice cream or sorbet with. For my very first attempt at a frozen dessert, I chose mango flavor. I also stuck with raw sugar, and just 1 ripe mango, as I like it understated and not too sweet. You may use more flavor, and more sugar. Play with it. We loved the results.
Servings Prep Time
4cups (approximate) 30mins
Cook Time Passive Time
15mins 3 + 8Initial cool and freeze time
Servings Prep Time
4cups (approximate) 30mins
Cook Time Passive Time
15mins 3 + 8Initial cool and freeze time
Ingredients
  • 3cups whole milkI prefer whole milk
  • 1cup half and half or creamCan reduce this even more if preferred
  • 3/4cup sugarI used raw sugar, you may use regular, and increase to 1 cup
  • 3tbsp corn starch
Instructions
  1. Heat milk and cream together till hot, but not to the point of boiling
  2. In a bowl, sift together sugar and cornstarch. I powdered the raw sugar since it was pretty coarse, to a fine texture
  4. When the milk is hot, turn the heat off; pour a little bit of the milk mix on to the sugar+corn starch mix, and gently blend it in to make a lump free paste
  5. Add this mix back to the milk + cream mix, and stir on low to medium heat until it thickens into a creamy consistency
  7. This process takes about 10-15 minutes. A good test is to run your finger on the back of the wooden ladle, it should leave a clean line like in the picture, without sticking
  8. Pour into a glass bowl (after you turn the heat off), cover with a cling wrap such that the wrap is touching the cream, and refrigerate for about 3 hours
  9. After three hours, make a puree of your choice – I used one mango, peeled and seed removed, and blended smooth
  10. Pour just the cream mix into your ice cream container which you would have kept in the freezer, put it on the ice cream maker, and turn it on.
  11. After it runs for about 20 minutes, add the fruit puree to the ice cream mix, and run it for about 20 minutes
  13. Now, all the work is done, and the only thing left is for the gelato to form. Keep it in a different container (glass/metal) than the one you used to churn it, in the freezer overnight.
  14. Your beautiful, sublime gelato is ready to be devoured!
Recipe Notes

Tips:

  1. I made it without eggs. There is a gelato recipe with eggs if you prefer.
  2. I watched the video on Williams Sonoma site to actually set the gelato, as the class just showed how to cook it, and they had a special 45 minute freezer that they used so we could consume it during the class.
  3. The video on Williams Sonoma site was extremely helpful.
  4. Link:

How To Make Icecream/Gelato

Happy Gelato Making!