They are so rich, it's hard to believe that gelatos are made from whole milk and not half & half or cream. This chocolate gelato is extremely smooth and rich. My wife described eating this as "almost like eating a candy bar." The light waffle-cone cookie I served it with was a perfect contrast to the rich chocolate flavor of this gelato. The ingredient list for this recipe comes from the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library book, Ice Creams & Sorbet.
2 cups whole milk
5 egg yolks
2 tablespoons corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 lb dark chocolate
1/4 cup cocoa
Chop the chocolate into small pieces (to speed up melting), add to an empty mixing bowl and set aside. You will eventually pour the custard base into this bowl.
Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until simmering and whisps of steam begin to appear (about 140 °F).
While the milk is heating, beat the egg yolks and corn syrup until blended. Add the sugar and continue mixing at medium speed until color lightens to a light yellow. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl during mixing.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot milk to the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Mix until blended and then return this mixture to the saucepan. Heat the custard mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and a finger leaves a track when dragged across the back of a spoon (about 175 °F).
Pour the custard mixture through a chinois or sieve into the bowl with the chopped chocolate. Mix the custard and chocolate to melt and blend the chocolate. Add the cocoa and continue mixing by hand until smooth. The goal is to blend, not whip air into the gelato.
Place bowl with gelato base into an ice bath or refrigerate until mixture is chilled to about 45 °F. Freeze according to your ice cream/gelato maker's instructions and transfer to a container. Let ripen in freezer for several hours before serving.
Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Gelato.
Chop dark chocolate to speed melting later.
Place chopped chocolate in bowl and set aside for later.
Heat milk over medium heat until simmering.
Five egg yolks help to thicken milk base for gelato.
Add corn syrup to beaten egg yolks.
Add Sugar to egg yolks.
Beat egg yolks and sugar until fluffy and light yellow.
With mixer on low, slowly add simmering milk to egg and sugar mixture.
Return custard to saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Stir constantly until mixture thickens and a finger leaves a track when dragged across the back of a spoon (about 180 °F).
Pour custard through chinois into bowl with chopped chocolate.
Stir hot custard to melt chopped chocolate.
Add cocoa powder and stir to mix.
Stir until all cocoa is incorporated and gelato base is smooth—do not whip.
Finish stirring cocoa powder and chill in ice bath.
Chill gelato base in ice bath until chilled to about 45 °F.
Coax the thick, chilled gelato base into ice cream maker.
Gelato churning in ice cream maker.
Transfer ice cream to container and let ripen in freezer for several hours.
Dark Chocolate Gelato.
