It turns out I love homemade ice cream. This summer, I’ve had unprecedented ice cream success and it’s because I’ve stopped trying to make healthier versions. There’s no getting around it, cream makes ice cream better. I’m converted, although it’s really hard to keep myself from finishing off the whole batch in one sitting. I think the only solution is to have a bunch of people over to force me to share.
This gelato is really a two for one recipe. If you stop before adding the melted chocolate, you have delicious vanilla ice cream. When you drizzle in the melted chocolate, you make it into straciatella. This is why I recommend making a larger batch and taking some out of the ice cream maker before you add the chocolate. Or just make a lot of straciatella, there’s never too much.
Straciatella Gelato
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 large pinch salt
1 vanilla bean, sliced open with seeds scraped out
5 egg yolks, whisked in a medium bowl
2 ounces semi sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
Combine the milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan and heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the vanilla bean and seeds and remove from the heat. Do not let the mixture boil at any point. Allow to steep for 30 minutes. Bring the milk back up temperature and add a cup or two to the egg bowl while whisking. Add the egg mixture back to the pan and continue to stir until it starts to thicken. It should coat the back of a spoon. Pour the whole mixture into a bowl or container to refrigerate.
Allow to refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the pod and any solids. Pour into your ice cream maker and use according to the instructions. Once the ice cream has hardened to the soft serve-like stage, you can remove some if you would like to keep some vanilla.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl in the microwave or over a double boiler. Allow to cool to room temperature. Drizzle very slowly into the ice cream maker while it’s going. Little bits of chocolate will freeze throughout the gelato. Scoop into a container and drizzle any remaining chocolate over the top if you wish. Freeze for a couple hours and then enjoy!
And as a bonus for anyone wondering what’s going on behind the scenes of M&M, here’s what happens anytime I try to take pictures and it’s not naptime….or even if it’s naptime if it involves pig….
