Summertime treats

Mango and Strawberries in rich creamy gelato

The kids are home, it’s hot outside and nothing tastes better on a hot day than smooth, cold, creamy gelato.  We visit Costco sometimes more often than church.  Wow, how sad is that.  We eat food every day and like our faith it is essential to our existence.  I shop often and in several locations much to the frustration of my
sweet husband. (who thinks I should go once a week and the resulting charge bill would show 4 or 5 transactions instead of 4-5 pages…good thing he loves to eat!)  While at Costco my kids begged me to purchase an ice cream maker.  Finally I weakened.  So glad I did!  Go get one! Today!

With all the abundant strawberries and mangos we set out to make something delicious.

Eggs, cream, fresh fruit We had no idea how delicious home made fresh gelato would be!

Mango Gelato

Makes about fourteen 1/2 cup servings

1 1/2  Pounds 1 inch mango cubes (thawed if frozen)

1/2     cup mango nectar

2        cups whole milk

1        cup sugar

8        large egg yolks

1        cup light cream

1        tsp pure vanilla extract

 

Place the mango cubes in a food processor or blender.  Process until completely pureed and smooth.  You will have about 21/2 of mango puree.  Stir in mango nectar and refrigerate while you continue the recipe.

Place the milk, sugar and powdered milk in a sauce pan with a heavy bottom.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Keep warm over low heat. Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk to thicken. You may use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk.  While whisking very slowly add one cup of the warm milk mixture to the eggs.  This is done to incorporate the hot mix with the eggs without cooking the eggs.  Once blended add the egg mixture to the sauce pan and increase heat to medium and stir mixture constantly until mixture is thickened like a custard. You do not want to over cook this.  Your goal is to bring it to 180F.  Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl.  Stir in light cream, reserved Mango puree and vanilla.

Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before continuing.

Turn your icecream maker on and while it is in motion pour the mixture into the freezer bowl of your machine. Let mix until thickened, about 20-25 minutes. The gelato will have a soft creamy texture.  If you prefer a firmer consistancy, transfer the gelato to an air tight container and freeze for about 2 hours.

 

My own twist… I always have small helpers in my kitchen who can not wait to be a taste tester.  During the 25 minute mixing process my little ones tasted the mango gelato.  We felt it tasted more like vanilla and less like mango.  A huge disappointment after cutting all those delicious mangos.  So…we quickly decided to add some chunky  goodies.  I chopped up two bananas and added a cup of 60% cocoa chocolate chips.  WOW better than we thought.  It was a bit like Ben and Jerry’s chunky monkey. It was great.

 

We also made the same recipe with fresh strawberries in place of the mangos.  We used only 1/2 tsp of vanilla and during the churning we added a cup of finely chopped fresh strawberries.

Leave me a comment to let me know how you like it!  What ideas do you have for add ins.