When I was unemployed, I purchased an ice cream maker, because when you're unemployed, you have all the time in the world to buy things you don't need with money you don't have. I made a batch of pumpkin pie ice cream, but as homemade ice cream doesn't last for longer than 4 days (with no preservatives, it gets freezer burn quickly), I hadn't made any ice cream since the first batch.
So when my friend Fran got married this past weekend, I decided to try my hand at it again for her rehearsal dinner. Her wedding colors were purple and green so I went for a blackberry sorbet and green tea gelato (Cuisinart recipes that came with the ice cream maker).
The green tea gelato was by far tastier and was the overall favorite. The blackberry sorbet mixture wasn't cold enough when I put it in the ice cream maker. It didn't set well and then was frozen the following day in the freezer, so came out a lot icier than I wanted it too.
Here are the recipes:
Green Tea Gelato:
The green tea gelato was more labor-intensive and I began the night before making the ice cream to let it sit overnight.
Ingredients:
3-1/4 cups whole milk
8 green tea bags
1/4 cup powdered fat-free milk
8 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1) Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer.
2) Pour half over the tea bags in a medium bowl and let steep for 30 minutes; strain, pressing all the liquid from the tea bags.
3) Stir powdered milk into remaining milk and keep warm over low heat.
4) Place egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat until thick and pale yellow (the consistency of mayonnaise). While mixing, slowly add the hot milk and whisk until blended.
Mine didn't quite come out to be the consistency of mayonnaise, but was more of a thick syrup. I still turned out okay.
5) Stir the egg mixture back into the saucepan and add the tea-infused milk; increase heat to medium. Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thickened like a custard sauce and registers 180 °F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
I didn't have a thermometer, but just kept stirring until it started turning into the consistency of oatmeal.
6) Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Stir in cream, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before continuing.
The mixture turned out grey-ish, so I added a bunch of green food coloring to give it some color.
7) Turn the machine on; pour mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. The gelato will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the gelato to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.
Tada!!
8 green tea bags
1/4 cup powdered fat-free milk
8 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1) Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer.
2) Pour half over the tea bags in a medium bowl and let steep for 30 minutes; strain, pressing all the liquid from the tea bags.
3) Stir powdered milk into remaining milk and keep warm over low heat.
4) Place egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat until thick and pale yellow (the consistency of mayonnaise). While mixing, slowly add the hot milk and whisk until blended.
Mine didn't quite come out to be the consistency of mayonnaise, but was more of a thick syrup. I still turned out okay.
5) Stir the egg mixture back into the saucepan and add the tea-infused milk; increase heat to medium. Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thickened like a custard sauce and registers 180 °F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
I didn't have a thermometer, but just kept stirring until it started turning into the consistency of oatmeal.
6) Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Stir in cream, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before continuing.
The mixture turned out grey-ish, so I added a bunch of green food coloring to give it some color.
7) Turn the machine on; pour mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. The gelato will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the gelato to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.
Tada!!
Blackberry Sorbet
The Cuisinart recipe booklet didn't have a blackberry sorbet, so I adapted this recipe from other sorbet recipes:
1 1/4 cups of sugar
1 cup water
24 oz. fresh blackberries
Juice of one lemon
1) Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over high heat until the water comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved. Store in the fridge for 1 hour (but really longer, if you want it to set well).
2) In a blender, puree the blackberries and chilled syrup until completely liquified (about 20 seconds). Working with half of the mixtures at a time help speed the process along. Strain into a separate bowl.
It will be very thick so use a spoon or spatula to push as much liquid through as possible. The remaining pulp will look like this:
3) Stir in the lemon juice.
4) Pour into the ice cream maker and process for about 25 minutes. It should thicken as it is processing and should be thicker than this:
Pour into a separate container and freeze until it's ready to serve.
Tada!!
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