ice cream

gelato di pesche arrosto / roasted peach ice cream

| Simona

roasted peach ice cream
After roasting strawberries (and using them to make gelato and frittata), I turned my attention to peaches, which is easy since I get them in my weekly CSA box. The peaches from Neukom Family Farm are justly famous. Having a steady supply of them throughout the season means that I can carry out experiments like the following one.

I started with the idea that I would roast peaches and use them to make ice cream. The inspiration for the custard part came from the recipe for Peach or Nectarine Ice Cream in my beloved (and recommended) ice cream book: Frozen Dessert by Caroline Liddell and Robin Weir. I didn't want the peaches to be utterly soft: I wanted the resulting ice cream to have a bit of fruit texture. After a few tries, I settled on this version (which of course may be further changed in the future).

oven-roasted peaches

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450 g) ripe and flavorful peaches (indifferent peaches make an indifferent gelato, so please look for tasty fruit)
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) [ultra-fine] sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 cup (240 ml) non-fat milk (latte scremato)
  • 1 large or extra-large pastured egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) vanilla extract of good quality
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream (panna da montare)

Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat that is wider and longer than the sheet, so no juice can escape from any side. Wash and cut in half the peaches — you'll most probably use two — then remove the stone (nocciolo). Place the peaches in the baking sheet cut side up. Take a tablespoon (15 ml) of the sugar and distribute it among the hollows left by the stones. Do the same with the lemon juice. Put the peaches in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let peaches cool.

As you can see in the photo, the hollow fills with juice while baking. Empty the juice in the food processor. Remove the skin, put peaches in the food processor and pulse a few times: you want small pieces of peach (pesca) to remain detectable. Pour in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat the milk in a saucepan until quite hot (but not boiling). In a bowl, whisk together egg and remaining sugar. Temper the egg with a bit of the hot milk, then slowly add the rest, while whisking. Put the saucepan on gentle heat, and stir the ice cream base almost constantly. You will notice a thickening. When a film forms over the back side of the stirring spoon (I use a wooden one), draw your finger across. If the line stays clear, the custard is ready. (If it overheats, it will curdle.) Remove the pan from the heat and place in a cold water bath, while stirring the custard. Once cool, cover and place in the fridge until thoroughly chilled.

When ready to churn, add vanilla extract and cream to the custard and stir well to incorporate, then add the peaches and stir some more. Churn in your ice cream maker until it reaches the consistency of gelato. Spoon into serving bowls, serve immediately and enjoy. After plating the ice cream, do not leave what is left over in the machine, but transfer it into a plastic container, cover the surface with wax paper, then put on the lid. Place in the freezer. Take out of the freezer half an hour or so before eating, so the gelato has time to soften.

This gelato has a delicate pastel color and a nice peach flavor. The first time I made it, I served it to six very obliging guests and the deep silence that fell around the table after I had finished passing the last bowl was a welcome signal of success. Are you wondering whether there is going to be also a roasted peach frittata? You bet!

image from farm7.static.flickr.com This is my contribution to the event Veggie/Fruit a Month, the vegetarian event created by Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes and hosted this month by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, who chose peaches as theme. 

This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

 

gelato di pesche arrosto

or launch the gelato di pesche arrosto audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

gelato, ice cream, peach

gelato di fragole arrosto all’aceto balsamico / roasted strawberry ice cream flavored with balsamic vinegar

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

roasted strawberry ice cream flavored with balsamic vinegar

a lovely summer dessert

Strawberry season is in full swing and one of the recipes in which the beloved berries shine is Strawberry ice cream flavored with balsamic vinegar from my one and only ice cream book Frozen Dessert by Caroline Liddell and Robin Weir. My version, which I have been making for a while, includes a few small adjustments to the original recipe.

However, when I read a recent post by Val of More Than Burnt Toast about using roasted strawberry to make ice cream, I knew the time had come to push the tried-and-true recipe in a new direction. Val was inspired by Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Music and Rants!, who got the idea of roasting strawberries from Zoë of Zoe Bakes. That's what I love about blogging: the flow of information, the suggestion that one day finds the right situation for realization.

My first attempt showed that I had not planned properly for the consequences of roasting juicy fruit. I spread the strawberries on a large baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and some juice ended up under the mat. Still, the ice cream I made with the roasted strawberries was good, so I made it again.

For my second try, I used a smaller baking sheet: the silicone baking mat came up on the sides and kept the juice contained. I also shortened the baking time to 30 minutes. I really liked the result, so for now this is going to be the main gelato di fragole at our house.

strawberries and sugar

Ingredients:

  • 18 oz. strawberries
  • 1/2 cup ultrafine sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar of good quality
  • 1/2 cup whipping/heavy cream (panna da montare), possibly organic

Wash strawberries and carve out stem. Place in a bowl, add 1/4 cup sugar and balsamic vinegar and toss gently but thoroughly. Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat that is wider and longer than the sheet, so no juice can escape from any side. Place strawberries on the sheet on a single layer. Use a spatula to clean the bowl so all the sugar and vinegar gets into the oven with the strawberries. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let strawberries cool slightly.

Spoon strawberries in the food processor and add the rest of the sugar (1/4 cup). Again here, use a spatula to made sure all the juice produced during the baking period is transferred into the food processor. Purée until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

When ready, add the cream to the strawberry purée and stir well. Pour into the ice cream maker and churn until it has the consistency of gelato. Spoon into serving bowls and serve immediately.

After plating the ice cream, do not leave what is left over in the machine, but transfer it into a plastic container, cover the surface with wax paper, then put on the lid. Place in the freezer. Take out of the freezer half an hour or so before eating, so the gelato has time to soften.

roasted strawberry ice cream flavored with balsamic vinegar

Last minute update. The photo above is of early this morning and is not as good as the one at the top, but I decided to add it just before publishing the post to show how the color of this batch of the gelato is darker than of the previous due to the deeper red of the strawberries I used. When I churned this batch last night, it was too late to take a photo with natural light. This morning I let the frozen leftover gelato soften before photographing it, so you can also see a difference in the texture.

image from 2.bp.blogspot.com This is my contribution to edition #292 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Rachel, The Crispy Cook.

This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

gelato di fragole arrosto all'aceto balsamico

or launch the gelato di fragole arrosto all'aceto balsamico audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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gelato, ice cream, strawberry

Newrule

gelato di fragole arrosto all'aceto balsamico

gelato di fragole arrosto all'aceto balsamico
È stagione di fragole e una delle ricette nelle quali esse splendono è quella del gelato di fragole all'aceto balsamico dal mio amato libro Frozen Dessert di Caroline Liddell e Robin Weir. La mia versione, che uso da un po' di tempo, comprende alcuni cambiamenti apportati alla ricetta originale.

Ma quando ho letto che Val di More Than Burnt Toast ha usato fragole arrosto per fare un gelato, mi sono decisa a spingere la ricetta verso una nuova direzione. Ad ispirare Val è stato Jerry di Jerry's Thoughts, Music and Rants!, il quale ha preso l'idea di mettere le fragole in forno da Zoë di Zoe Bakes.

Il mio primo tentativo ha dimostrato una certa mancanza di pianificazione accurata. Ho disposto le fragole su una una lastra da forno foderata con tappetino di silicone per forno e un po' di succo di fragole è finito sotto il tappetino. Ma il gelato che ho fatto con le fragole arrosto è venuto buono, perciò l'ho fatto di nuovo.

Per il mio secondo tentativo, ho usato una lastra da forno più piccola: in questo modo il tappetino di silicone per forno copriva anche i lati e il succo non poteva scappare. Ho anche diminuito il tempo di soggiorno in forno da 40 a 30 minuti. Il risultato mi è piaciuto molto e quindi per ora questo è il gelato di fragole che si mangia a casa nostra.

fragole e zucchero

Ingredienti:

  • mezzo chilo di fragole
  • 100 g di zucchero finissimo, divisi
  • 5 ml (1 cucchiaino) di aceto balsamico
  • 120 ml di panna da montare, possibilmente bio

Lavare le fragole e privarle del picciolo. Mettere le fragole in una ciotola e aggiungere 50 g dello zucchero finissimo e l'aceto balsamico. Mescolare bene con delicatezza. Scaldare il forno a 175 C. Foderare una lastra da forno con un tappetino di silicone per forno che sia più lungo e più largo, in modo che il succo prodotto durante la cottura in forno non finisca sotto il tappetino. Disporre le fragole sulla lastra. Con una spatolina pulire bene la ciotola in modo che tutto lo zucchero e l'aceto vengano trasferiti insieme alle fragole.

Mettere in forno e cuocere per 30 minuti. (La temperatura in gradi Fahrenheit che uso io, 350, è un po' al di sopra di 175 C e un po' al di sotto di 180 C. Ho deciso di specificare la temperatura più bassa poiché preferisco essere cauta. Potete lasciare le fragole in forno qualche minuto in più, ma fate attenzione che il succo non bruci.) Lasciar raffreddare le fragole.

Trasferire le fragole nel robot e aggiungere il resto dello zucchero finissimo (50 g). Di nuovo, usare una spatolina per pulire la ciotola in modo che nemmeno una goccia del succo prodotto durante la cottura vada persa. Frullare fino a ridurre le fragole ad una crema omogenea. Versare in una ciotola, coprire e mettere in frigorifero fino a quando non sia completamente freddo.

Quando siete pronti, aggiungere la panna alle fragole e mescolare bene, poi versare la miscela nella vaschetta della gelatiera. Fate andare la gelatiera fino a quando vedrete che la consistenza del contenuto sia quella del gelato. Preparare le porzioni e servire immediatamente.

Se avanza del gelato, non lasciarlo nella gelatiera: metterlo subito in un contenitore di plastica, stendere un pezzo di carta oleata sulla superficie, coprire e mettere nel congelatore. Togliere dal congelatore mezz'ora prima di mangiarlo in modo che si ammorbidisca.

roasted strawberry ice cream flavored with balsamic vinegar
Ho scattato la foto qui sopra stamattina presto e non è molto buona, ma ho deciso di aggiungerla al post prima di pubblicarlo per far vedere la differenza di colore con quello in alto dovuta al colore più scuro delle fragole che ho usato. Quando ho tolto il gelato quì sopra dalla gelatiera era troppo tardi per fare una foto con la luce naturale, cosi potete vedere anche una differenza in consistenza.

image from 2.bp.blogspot.comQuesto è il mio contributo all'edizione numero 292 di Weekend Herb Blogging, un evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato ora da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once e la cui versione italiana è organizzata da Brii di Briggis recept och ideer, che questa settimana funge anche da ospite.

Questo post contiene il riepilogo dell'evento.

recipe: green tea ice cream and mochi ice cream (gelato al tè verde e mochi con gelato)

| Simona
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zuccotto gelato

| Simona
DSC_0011 / zuccotto

layers of delight

Group_w180x130The July 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Sunita of Sunita’s world – life and food. Sunita challenged everyone to make an ice-cream filled Swiss roll that’s then used to make a bombe with hot fudge. Her recipe is based on an ice cream cake recipe from Taste of Home.

The recipes Sunita provided for the different elements of the challenge can be found here.

What I made looks different from what you see on the Daring Bakers web site for a couple of reasons: our household’s dietary needs and less than satisfactory results of two preliminary steps which, coupled with the fact that I prepared the dessert two days before the deadline, nudged my creativity in new directions. In the end, I was happy with what I made: a variation filled with gelato of the Italian dessert called zuccotto, hence the title of the post.

DSC_0046

For the outermost layer, I made a sponge cake with the following ingredients:

  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 90 g sugar
  • 70 g flour
  • 20 g potato starch flour (fecola di patate)
  • a pinch of cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Beat egg yolks with sugar until they reach a mousse-like consistency. Sift flours and fold into yolks. Fold egg whites in three batches. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (the amount of batter I had did not cover the whole sheet: I spread it until I had a rectangular shape of the desired thickness). Bake at 350 F until pale gold and springy to the touch (check after 12 minutes and estimate the amount of time still needed; for me that was another 6 minutes or so). Turn onto a damp kitchen towel sprinkled with sugar and peel away the parchment paper. Delicately roll from the short side. I ended up not making the roll as in the original recipe, but this step was still helpful, since it was then easy to line the glass bowl with pieces of the cake.

For the inner layers I used the following:

I made some adjustments to the original recipe for the strawberry ice cream: half a cup of sugar, one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, half a cup of whipping cream. The recipe for the green tea ice cream is mine and I will describe it in a separate post. The color reflects that of the matcha (powdered green tea) I used.

DSC_0002

Once all the elements were ready, the assembly was fairly easy. A closer look at the inner structure shows the organization of the layers. If you’d have time to plan ahead, you may want to consider this dessert: it really gets your guests’ attention. 

A special thank you goes to our host for her choice and her efforts. It was a nice challenge. I hope you will take the time to go around and look at the creative output of my talented fellow Daring Bakers.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

zuccotto gelato

or launch the zuccotto gelato  audio file [mp3].

 

gelato al biscotto / ice cream sandwich

| Simona

Group_w180x130The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

This challenge was interesting for me for two main reasons. One is that graham wafers (a.k.a. graham crackers) were on my list of to-try recipes. The second is that I had never tried to bake anything gluten-free. The recipes for the Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars are here.

In our household, we cannot eat the Nanaimo Bars as described in the recipe. I interpreted the spirit of the bars to be the idea of layers, one of which includes graham wafers. It was then a short step to think of gelato al biscotto (also called gelato col biscotto), which I loved as a child: gelato enclosed between two wafers (the ice cream flavor being, if I remember correctly, fiordilatte in the original product, called Camillino, which you can see at the end of the comic strip on this page). (Note that what we call biscotti in Italy is not the same thing as what are called biscotti in the US: see this post for details.)

Gelato al biscotto was an example of what we call gelato confezionato, as opposed to gelato di gelateria, the first produced industrially, the second artigianale (artisanal). Much as I liked the artisanal gelato, there was something special about gelato al biscotto: the contrast in flavor and texture between the gelato and the biscotto and also the challenge to eat it so that you didn't drip any ice cream. Another gelato confezionato I liked as a child was the coppa del nonno (grandfather's cup). It is gelato al caffè (coffee ice cream) and I was allowed to have it only rarely, which made it more desirable. Based on this set of memories, I decided to make gelato al biscotto with gelato al caffè. As an aside, I think that ice cream goes well with the theme of the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Instead of sorghum flour, I used teff flour (which is described as being gluten free). I had been meaning to buy some for a while, since injera is on my to-try list. The kind I purchased is of a lovely dark color. 02/02 Update: I realized that I forgot to specify that I used white rice flour, because I could not find sweet rice flour. If later on I find sweet rice flour, I will certainly try it and compare the results.

DSC_0025-3

As a first step into the gluten-free world this was really a perfect recipe. One amazing thing about it is the delicious smell that pervades the kitchen when the wafers are baking. For health reasons, I used half a cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of honey. Also, I had only one tablespoon of vanilla extract left, and used it all. With an eye towards my final goal, I cut some of the wafers with my fluted round cookie cutter. I cut the others in rectangles, using my pastry cutter with fluted wheel. At baking time, I hit a bump on the road. The wafers on the top baking sheet burned before the ones on the bottom sheet were cooked, so I had to discard them. I tasted the wafers that baked properly and liked them a lot.

DSC_0014

As third layer for the gelato al biscotto, I used chocolate. I melted some extra-dark chocolate (72%) in a small saucepan over very low heat and then distributed it using a pastry brush. Of the different layering schemes I tried, the best one was to layer some chocolate on the bottom side of the graham wafer, the side that ends up touching the ice cream (see photo below). While the chocolate was setting, I took out of the freezer the container with my homemade gelato al caffè. When the gelato al caffè had softened a bit, I made a layer of it on one chocolate-covered graham wafer and then topped it with another (chocolate side down). I smoothed out the ice cream all around with a knife, then returned the gelato al biscotto to the freezer briefly to firm up the ensemble. Unfortunately, none of the photos I took of the final product was good enough to appear on the blog: I only have one image of the gelato al biscotto being assembled.

DSC_0021-1

My idea worked very well, though the aesthetics (always my weak point) could use some improvement. The combination was a success. Next time, I will try with my homemade gelato alla vaniglia.

The graham wafers were excellent, so I made a second batch. I didn't have enough tapioca flour, so I supplemented it with potato flour (fecola di patate). The dough felt a bit wetter than the time before, but I will need to make another batch with tapioca flour to verify my impression. Again, a lovely smell filled the kitchen while the wafers were baking. This time, I baked one sheet at a time and watched the progress very carefully. I set the timer to 12 minutes, then rotated the baking sheet, then set the timer to 4 minutes, then checked every two minutes. This time, all the wafers baked properly.

A special thank you goes to our host for her choice and her efforts. It was an interesting challenge and a valuable learning experience. It was also a nice little walk down memory lane. I hope you will take the time to go around and look at the gorgeous creations of my talented fellow Daring Bakers.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

gelato al biscotto

or launch the gelato al biscotto  audio file [mp3].

 

la stagione dei lamponi / raspberry season

| Simona

raspberry risotto

I love raspberries, so I was looking forward to the arrival of raspberry season. This week I had two baskets that I had to consume immediately, so I made risotto ai lamponi (raspberry risotto) and gelato alla vaniglia variegato al lampone (raspberry-marbled vanilla ice cream), both colorful dishes.

The risotto is quite pretty, besides being tasty. You will find my recipe in this post from last year. When I prepared the risotto last week, I had just made a batch of mascarpone and used two tablespoons of it to finish the risotto, instead of the fresh chèvre. This week, I used my  favorite, Cypress Grove’s Purple Haze.

In the wake of the success of my recent gelato alla vaniglia variegato al rabarbaro (rhubarb-marbled vanilla ice cream), I decided to make the same vanilla ice cream (recipe in this post) and to marble it with raspberry purée. A couple of hours before churning the ice cream, marinate the raspberries with a teaspoon of agave nectar and half a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (as described in this post), then shortly before needing it, purée the raspberries and press through a strainer. It is important to spend a bit of time pressing all the pulp off the seeds, so the purée is nice and thick. I refrigerated the purée until ready to add it to the ice cream.

gelato variegato

Once the gelato alla vaniglia was ready, I scooped it into a bowl and added the raspberry purée by spoonfuls, swirling it in with a spatula to create a marbling pattern 1. As usual, I served the result to the head of my quality assurance department (a.k.a., my husband) and then we discussed the findings. The flavor of raspberries was probably a bit too prominent for a variegato, so next time I will try using less raspberry purée. I also want to try to fold the same amount of raspberry purée I used this time into the custard before churning it. I will run these tests soon and then report on the results.

The language corner. The four seasons (quattro stagioni) in Italian are: primavera (spring), estate (summer), autunno (fall), inverno (winter).

1 I used a lidded plastic bowl, which then went into the freezer with the leftover ice cream, after I covered the surface of the ice cream with a square of wax paper. If, after the marbling, the ice cream had been too soft, I would have covered it with wax paper, put the lid on the container and allow it to spend a short time in the freezer until firmer, but still soft.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

la stagione dei lamponi

or launch the la stagione dei lamponi  audio file [mp3].

 

gelato all’anice stellato / star anise ice cream

| Simona

A little while ago, I had dinner with Marta, An Italian in the US, at her new place. In the kitchen, I saw a small bag of anice stellato and then and there I decided I would try and make gelato with it. 

I saw a few recipes where star anise was paired with vaniglia (vanilla) and that made sense, so I did the same. The basic plan was to use less vanilla than I usually do in my gelato alla vaniglia, infuse the milk with both vanilla and star anise, but keep the former for a longer time, to balance the latter. This theoretical algorithm was translated into the following recipe, which is based on the recipe for vanilla ice cream that I am currently using (such recipe is a work-in-progress and therefore it is subject to change).

In the morning, warm up to just below boiling point 1 and 1/2 cups of non-fat milk with 2 tablespoons of agave nectar, 1/4 cup of whole star anise (8 pieces or so) and 1/3 or 1/2 of a vanilla bean (baccello di vaniglia) split in half lengthwise to reveal the tiny black seeds inside. Note: I am currently using vanilla beans bought in bulk (three dozens or so) that are significantly less flavorful than the ones I used to buy, individually or in pairs, from local stores. Hence, I used half a bean. Had I used the “old” kind of vanilla, I would have cut 1/3 of a bean. Remove from the heat the saucepan with the milk, cover it and let it cool for an hour. At this point, retire the star anise, but not the vanilla bean, then make the custard.

Beat 1 extra-large egg and 3 yolks with a 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture is bubbly. Slowly add the milk to the beaten eggs, then pour the mixture back in the saucepan and put on the stove over low heat, stirring. When a film forms over the back side of the stirring spoon (I use a wooden one), draw your finger across. If the line stays clear, the custard is ready. (If it overheats, it will curdle.) The saucepan goes straight from the heat to a cold water bath: keep stirring the custard to bring down its temperature. When the custard is cool, cover the pan and place it in the fridge until thoroughly cold.

IMGP5814

In the evening, when ready to churn, take the custard out of the fridge, add to it 3/4 cup of chilled heavy whipping cream and mix. With a spatula, retrieve the two halves of the piece of vanilla bean and scrape the seeds, then mix again and finally pour the custard into the ice cream maker. Let the machine run until its content reaches gelato consistency, soft and creamy. Stop the machine, scrape the ice cream from the sides and bottom of the machine bowl, scoop and serve immediately.

The dose of star anise and vanilla that I chose worked well: both flavors are detectable and neither overpowers the other. And the smell is divine. A final note: the flavor of ice cream depends heavily on the ingredients. I use organic milk and cream (latte e panna) and pastured eggs, whose dense and deeply-colored yolks make the ice cream shine like a star (stella).

OsteoLogo This recipe is offered to Susan of Food Blogga as my contribution to Beautiful Bones, an event she launched to spread awareness about osteoporosis, a very important health subject. May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

gelato all’anice stellato

or launch the  gelato all’anice stellato  audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]