This recipe is the best of both worlds. It’s super tasty and it’s low fat. How can that be? It’s really easy. A few simple substitutions can make a big difference in calorie count. In this recipe, cornstarch is substituted for egg yolks and low fat milk for the heavier, calorie dense kind. Fresh or frozen fruit provides the sweetening as well as many healthful vitamins.
This Italian fruit gelato is especially good to make in the summer when fresh fruits are readily available. But don’t despair if you don’t have any. Frozen fruit is easily substituted for fresh.
Ingredients
- 1/2 half cup of sugar
- 3 thin strips of lemon (yellow part) 1/2 x 3″ long
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- 2 cups low fat milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- fruit puree – see specific amounts below
Directions
- Combine sugar and lemon peel in a large sauce pan. Press the lemon peel into the sugar to release the lemon oil.
- Add cornstarch
- Stir in milk
- Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. When the mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking for one minute.
- Remove from heat and discard lemon strips. Add the puree and vanilla to the mixture and let it cool. Put it in your gelato maker and process.
- If you are using an ice cream maker, you must make sure the mixture is very cold before you add it to your ice cream maker.
How to Prepare Puree
- Blueberries: Process about 3 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen blueberries and 2 tbs of lemon in your food processor or blender. Make sure the skins are chopped up fine.
- Raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, boysenberries: Process 3 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen berries and 1 tbs of lemon juice in your processor or blender. Then put them through a strainer to remove the seeds.
- Strawberries: Process 3 1/2 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen berries and 1 tbs of lemon juice.
I hope you enjoy this low fat fruit gelato. It tastes good and it’s good for you.
Stephanie
Italian Nonna
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