The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz sits proudly on our bookshelf. Stained, pages separating from the binding, the smell of vanilla and chocolate spiraling out of the book. It’s a wonder. David might, by some people, be considered a recipe-obsessive idealist. Each recipe in The Perfect Scoop reflects magnificent effort in recipe development and perfection.
Perfection. This chocolate gelato is impossible to be any better. It is perfect. It will take you dancing back to childhood and those memories of wonderful chocolate ice cream gobbled on a warm summer evening. Of course, now it is fall. And it is not warm. But this gelato is to be treasured any time, under any temperature conditions.
Suzen serves this with biscotti [see yesterday’s blog] at her Cooking by the Book events. People come back into the kitchen and, politely, ask for more. Suzen wisely makes this in big, big batches. So should you.
Best Darn Chocolate Gelato
Yield: 4-6 people
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- Pinch of slat
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at ta very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stirring the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 18-55MM lens shot at F/4.5, 1/50th second, ISO 640