FROZEN TREATS

 In my last blog, I mentioned that I was off to make gelato, which I did.  And then I made some more.  And then I made some ice cream.  And finally I had a bunch of people over to taste them and figure out what they liked better.
The big question on everyone's lips mixed in with cream, sugar and eggs was what was the difference between the two.  So here is a treatise on gelato and ice cream.

Gelato came first, although ice cream and gelato are essentially made from many of the same ingredients.  Gelato has a lower butterfat content which is usually 4-8% and in the United States ice cream usually has about 14% butterfat, but some of the rich ice creams can go up to 20-25% butterfat.  After 25% the texture because almost waxy and is actually unpleasant.

Gelato also has more sugar than ice cream, usually running about 16-24% to ice cream's  12-16% depending on the amount of fat.  It is this increase in sugar that combines with the water to prevent the gelato from forming large ice crystals as it freezes.  Also, gelato requires "a stabilizer" which  most often are the egg yolks (although in the mascapone ice cream I made, the stabilizer was a milk solid commonly known as cheese.)  It is important that the milk proteins are heated, as well as the egg yolks and then the whole mixture ages so that the milk proteins bind with the water so that the ice crystals that form will be smaller giving a smoother texture.

Gelato is always made quickly in small batches, and the churning is slower.  Slow slow churning minimizes the amount of air incorporated into the finished product which is a denser product than ice cream with more intense flavours.  It can only be stored for a few days at consistent, low temperatures.

Ice cream
Standard ice cream is made from cream, milk and sugar.  There are usually no eggs in it.  When eggs are added, it is called French, or custard ice cream, and then it is really more gelato-styled, although usually has siginificantly more fat than gelato.  During the churning of ice cream, there is more whipping during the process whichs incorporates more air which gives it a lighter texture.

There are many ice cream makers out there.  There are commercial gelato makers and many discussions about the availability of good home gelato makers.  I am pleased with the one I bought.  It has gotten great reviews from many others and I can say that the crema gelato I produced was as a good as a remembered from the last time I was in Italy.

Neither gelato nor ice cream is what I call a healthy snack. Calorie-wise, though, per 1/2 cup serving homemade gelato is about 150-200 calories and ice cream is 250-350.  But place it on top of fresh summer fruit and I think for an occasional treat, there is no reason not to give it to your kids.  And there are some sorbettos that I am going to try and I will report in on their ease of making in my new machine.  Because those will be  a lot healthier on top of those summer fruits.

Gelato - Lucky For Me I Don't Live in Italy!

On occasion I write on another blog, Bytes of Food, where the writers talk about is "all things food".  My latest blog there is about the Santa Monica Farmers Market, one of my favorite places to hang out.  Since it is summer and I am feeling lazy, this is going to be a short blog.  I would suggest you read that entry for the background.

Ice cream is a favorite food for everyone in my family.  When I think about what I would NEED on a deserted island, ice cream would definitely be up there.  I sometimes think I could eat it 3 meals a day.  And I know how unhealthy that would be.  So one of the ways I make sure that ice cream is not continuously in my house is that I do not buy it.  The way I satisfy my craving for it is that when I really want it I make it from scratch.  I can assure you that minimizes how often I eat it.

I prefer gelato to ice cream.  The difference is that gelato is made from eggs and whole milk, not light cream.  It has 5-7% fat (by law for something to carry the label ice cream it must have at least 10% fat).  Because it is churned at a slower speed it gets less air in it and is more dense.  It is also is served slighter warmer.  My favorite flavor is crema.  Most Americans think of it as vanilla, but it isn't.  It is more delicate, and I have never seen it in the grocery stores.   The only way to enjoy it in the United States is to make it yourself.  So here is a recipe for it.  You can serve it with the fruit recipe that is in my blog in Bytes of Food. 

Crema (or custard) Gelato

2 1/4 cups whole milk
6 egg yolks
2/3 c. heavy cream
pinch of salt

Combine milk and salt in medium saucepan and heat slowly until bubbles form around the edges.  Take off heat. 
Blend the sugar and egg yolks until very thick and smooth.  Add the hot milk gradually, and then put mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and put in a bowl of ice water and stir for 2 minutes until cool.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Beat the cream until soft beaks form.  Add to custard mixture.  Put into your ice cream maker.
Makes 1 1/2 quarts.

IMPORTANT NOTES
1. Since no flavoring is added, the fresher the ingredients the better this will taste.
2. I like using free-range chicken eggs.  The yolks are usually more yellow which gives the gelato a color with more depth.
3. Patience is the key word.  If you don't take your time stirring you will overcook the eggs.  If that happens, just strain your mixture to get out the egg lumps.
4. If you want to add to this, you can mix in pieces of fresh fruits or candies after it is made.  If you put it in while making the ice cream, they tend to freeze.

And now I am off to the kitchen to make gelato.............