About one and a half years ago I discovered you can buy gelato makers for the home.   I was pretty excited about it because the last time I had gelato was in Rome, Italy with my Uncle Salvatore.

I’m a promoter of having gelato over ice cream because of some health and taste benefits.   Don’t get me wrong, I still like regular ice-cream (Turkey Hill for example – Natural line), but gelato truly is a class in an of itself.

A Brief Overview of Gelato

Regular ice cream can have up to 50% air content.   That explains why it’s so light and airy.  Gelato on the other hand has considerably less air content because it doesn’t mix in additional air during the mixing process.  Hence why gelato makers like the one I write about here advertises it’s air tight lid, which can’t be opened while the machine is running.

In addition, gelato uses whole or 2% milk rather than cream.   This makes it a lower calorie dessert than ice cream.

Retailers like Talenti are Catching On

Talenti Gelato

I was in Martin’s (also known as Giant) the other day shopping with my husband and we were checking out the ice cream aisle.

When we were leaving empty handed (no good sales on the good brands), I decided to check and see if anyone sold gelato, and sure enough there were actually two brands that sold it!

The first brand was Talenti and the ingredients list was fairly decent.   Unfortunately they included additional chemicals and even included soy lecithin which knocks out people who are intolerent to soy.

I really wish they could do what Turkey Hill did with their All Natural Ice Cream line and keep to the basics – cream, non fat milk, sugar, vanilla and vanilla bean (for the vanilla ice cream).

For their Mint Chocolate Chip:  Cream, nonfat milk, sugar, chocolate chips, oil of peppermint.

Why can’t others do this too?

Gelato ingredients on the Talenti version called, Mediterranean Mint:  milk, sugar, cream, chocolate, dextrose, natural flavors (whatever that means), fresh mint, vanilla, guar gum, soy lecithin (that stinks for people who can’t have soy).

To be fair, Talenti isn’t too far off – it could be worse.  I looked at Martin’s store brand

Simply Enjoy Pistachio Gelato

called Simply Enjoy and  the list was much worse.  I didn’t take a photo, but when I do I’ll update this post.

For that reason, I passed on it and purchased Talenti.

My opinion of Talenti’s Mint gelato

The first thing I noticed was the texture.  My spoon slid right into the gelato.   I noticed the density of the gelato, but like I said the texture was smooth so it was a great balance.

The mint flavor was fairly mild and I’m glad it wasn’t overpowering like some are.  Nor was it overly sweet, unless I eat too much – as I’m doing now while I’m writing this.

My conclusion is that gelato is going to become more popular here in America.   Soon you’ll see retailers offering specialty gelato next to regular ice cream, most likely marketed as a healthier version.  I compared my gelato nutritional facts with another similar ice cream and Talenti’s came out ahead.  Less fat, less sodium, less sugar.

I’d recommend Talenti’s gelato, but I’ve only tried the Mediterranean Mint.  I’ll try the Belgian Chocolate next and hopefully I’ll be equally impressed.

What I’m not impressed about are the extra ingredients that keep it from being a pure gelato.

Liz

It’s that time of year again. As the summer heat beats down on us, the thought of ice cream is enough to make people smile. Most Americans have fond childhood memories of frozen desserts, whether soda fountain treats, street corner shaved ice vendors or soft serve ice cream from trucks.

Unfortunately, as food has increasingly become mass produced, the quality has declined. The ice cream of yesteryear was made from cream, eggs, cane sugar, real fruit and chocolate, but most ice cream today is full of high fructose corn syrup, powdered milk and unpronounceable, man made ingredients. Even seemingly safe choices like “frozen fruit bars” contain more corn syrup, artificial flavoring and coloring than fruit.

What Can We Eat?

This summer, let’s take a tip from our Italian friends and try gelato. This frozen dessert is made in a special machine that rapidly freezes the contents. The quick pace avoids folding in excess air and keeps the ice crystals small, resulting in a dense, smooth dessert with an extremely concentrated flavor.

Why is Gelato Healthier?

To start with, gelato uses milk instead of cream, making this dessert lower in fat, cholesterol and calories.  Even though gelato is made with milk,  having less air makes it tastes richer than American ice cream. Many people find smaller servings of gelato to be satisfying, thanks to the concentrated flavors and creamy mouthfeel.

The high fat content of American ice cream helps to stabilize the flavor, making it possible to store in the freezer for months. Gelato must be eaten within a few days of being made, guaranteeing that your gelato is always fresh.

Where Do We Find Gelato?

Unfortunately, unless you live in a city with a large Italian population, your chances of finding a gelateria (gelato shop) are fairly slim. The good news is that the short list of high quality ingredients and fast freezing time make homemade gelato a breeze. Combine pure chocolate, nut pastes or ripe fruit with local, pastured milk and natural sweeteners for the most delicious gelato imaginable.

Don’t make the mistake of using a gelato recipe in a regular ice cream freezer, though. This dessert needs to be made in a proper home gelato maker in order to get the low air content and smooth texture.

How Much Does Gelato Cost?

Unless you are using imported ingredients, the basic recipes are fairly inexpensive to make. Go to the farmers’ market for fruit at the peak of ripeness or use real chocolate chips, rather than bars, in order to save money.

What Flavors Does Gelato Come In?

Once you own a home gelato maker, your options are limitless. Traditionally, the bases are either flavored with chocolate, nut or an egg custard. Popular mix-ins in Italy include nutella,  cinnamon and hot pepper or candied orange rind with chocolate and stewed sour cherries, but here in the United States, anything goes.

There’s no reason you can’t make fior de latte (a plain cream flavor of gelato that highlights the fresh milk as the primary flavor) with crushed chocolate cookies. Swirl natural peanut butter into chocolate ice cream for peanut butter cup gelato.

Making homemade gelato doesn’t take very long. Nut or chocolate flavors are made without eggs, though cream base gelato requires the preparation of an egg custard as an initial step. Fruit gelato made without milk is also simple, though it is technically called sorbet.

Homemade gelato is the perfect summertime treat. It is simple to prepare, freezes quickly and costs less to make than premium ice cream costs. It’s likely that with some practice, you won’t find yourself picking up packaged ice cream anymore.

Modern day festivals in Rome are a series of outdoor events known as Roman Summer.  The tradition of celebrations dates back to the time when Rome dominated the world.

Early Roman Celebrations

In the early Roman culture, the people loved celebrations.  This was a pagan society which worshiped many gods. The gods were jealous of each other and were always warring with one another.  In order to appease the different gods, the Romans held separate festivals to honor each god.  It was party time.  The parties consisted of many excesses in food, drink and sexual activity.  They loved games and we are familiar with the gladiators who fought each other and wild beasts as well.  Saturnalia was a feast to honor the god, Saturn.  The nobles dressed and acted like slaves and the slaves “became” noblemen. A good time was had by all.

Dark Ages

After the fall of Rome and the rise of the Papacy, the festivals were banned.  Mysteries or religious dramas became the form of entertainment.  This period was originally thought of as the Dark Ages, in contrast to the light of classical Greek and Roman antiquity that came before.  It was a time of economic and cultural deterioration and there was not much to celebrate.

Renaissance

During the Renaissance there was a return to festivals.  The Roman Carnival became famous and people came from all over the world to participate.  The celebration inspired many artists and musicians, including Berlioz and Resipghi.  There was even horse racing down the main street in Rome.

Modern Times

Today, Roman Summer or L’estate Romana, is a festival that lasts from June to September.  It is a series of open air performances.  There are many sites in the city where music, dancing and theater are offered.  At the Baths of Caracalla and the Castle of St. Angelo ballets and operas are performed in the open air.  There are many piazzas or squares where visitors and locals alike enjoy sitting and enjoying a gelato or sipping an espresso while watching the crowds go by.

Celebrations, parties and festivals are a natural way to express our love and enthusiasm for life.  Let the good times roll.

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

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

Simple Italian Cooking

I wanted to share a basic gelato recipe with you, but I have to admit I was confused by the many “basic” recipes.  I researched several different versions and came up with the one below.  I found there are many variations in the ingredients and in the quantities.  I think this is one of those times when you just have to play with it and make adjustments to suit your tastes.  Here goes!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of milk (whole, low fat or non fat)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of fat free powdered milk
• 8 eggs (yolks only)
• 1 cup of light cream or half & half or fat free half & half
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 3 cups of prepared fruit

Directions

Since the DeLonghi gelato maker has a built in refrigeration unit, you do not have to freeze your container ahead of time.

• Heat the milk, sugar and powdered milk in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom.  Just heat to a slow simmer to dissolve the sugar and then lower the heat to keep the mixture warm.
• Separate the yolks from the eggs.
• Whip the egg yolks with a whisk or hand mixer until they are thick.
• Slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks constantly whisking while you pour.
• Then pour the egg mixture back into the hot milk and increase the heat to medium.  Be sure to use a wooden or plastic spoon and stir for about 6-8 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
• Stir in the cream, whichever kind you have chosen and the vanilla.  Pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl and chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Prepare the fruit, whatever kind you want.  Just fix it the way you would as if you were going to eat it and then puree the fruit in the blender. Combine with the milk/cream mixture and put it in the DeLonghi removable bowl and turn on your gelato maker.  Your gelato will be ready in 30 minutes.  Yum!!

Like I said before, there are many variations of this recipe.  Some use less sugar, some less eggs.  And of course, there are many different flavorings you can use.  Let your imagination soar and create your own special gelato!

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking