May 1, 2007
Gelato: Cool Treat for Hot Days
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Gelato…… Cool, refreshing, refined…..gelato and sorbetto are some of the great culinary symbols of Italy. The ancient Romans had their own version of gelato (literally “frozen pleasure”) that combined pureed fruit with honey and snow. The current version was invented by the Chinese who passed it to the Arabs, who in turn passed it - along with sugar - to the Sicilians who are still considered some of the best gelato makers in the world. It wasn’t until the 1500’s that they learned to make it without ice or snow, and discovered the secret principal of water and salt used by hand cranked ice-cream machines today. Florentine cream and milk additions to the fruit base produced the world’s first sorbets. The Italian born Queen Catherine de Medici dazzled the French court with this confection. |
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| The Italian term gelato does not equal ice cream for several reasons. 1. Gelato is lower in fat. It contains 6-10% fat, in comparison with ice-cream which legally must contain 17-28% fat. Gelato recipes usually call for milk rather than cream, and frequently use egg yolks to create a creamy, custard texture.
2. Gelato has less air whipped into it, creating a richer, creamier texture. 3. Gelato contains much less sugar than ice cream, and consequently freezes more easily.
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| Don’t have an ice-cream maker? That’s OK! You can still make gelato at home in your freezer.Simply prepare your ingredients and place them in a metal bowl that provides room for expansion. Put it in the freezer, covered, for about an hour and a half. Remove from freezer and whip the slush forming to break up any ice crystals. Replace in freezer. Repeat the process two to three times. If you are making sorbet, rather than gelato you must beat it more frequently - approximately every hour.
NOTE: It’s important to use fresh, whole milk, and to make sure the eggs are fresh and organic if they are called for raw. |
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1 Comment on Gelato: Cool Treat for Hot Days »
May 1, 2007
Sandy M. @ 7:46 pm:
Wow! I didn’t know it was so easy! Thanks for posting how to make such a yummy treat.