Ricotta Gelato with Balsamic Glaze and Strawberries

You will need:

2 cups fresh ricotta cheese (hopefully you made your own)
2 cups whole milk (support your local dairy)
5 egg yolks (from chicken’s in your back yard…I’m kidding)
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

No fat in this recipe!

Heat the milk in a saucepan; bring to a simmer.

While the milk is heating place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment.

Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is very thick and pale yellow.

Not quite sure what happened to the photo of how the egg yolks should look ???

With the mixer running, slowly add half of the warm milk mixture.

Beat until blended.

Return the egg mixture to the saucepan with remaining milk.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly.

Cook just until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.  Draw your finger across the spoon.  If it leaves a trail, it’s done.

Remove from heat and add the heavy cream.

Stir until cream is well blended.

Pour the mixture through a fine wire mesh strainer.  You want to make sure there are no little cooked egg particles in the gelato mixture.  This will make the mixture very smooth.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Stir in the ricotta.

Stir until mixture is smooth.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.

I’m a big fan in leaving ice cream or gelato base in the refrigerator overnight.  I really think it helps create greater volume when freezing.

I’m using an electric ice cream maker that holds 1 1/2 quarts.

You will notice that the gelato base is super thick.  With the ice cream maker running pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturers directions.

Note:  This makes enough base to fit into a 2 quart ice cream maker.

Freeze only until the mixture is thick and holds it’s shape well.  Let me give you some advice on using the ice cream maker that has the canister that you freeze.  If you think that you will get a more solid gelato by letting the maker continue to run, you are wrong.  The ice in the container will begin to melt and it will also melt your gelato or ice cream.  If you let it run for 30 minutes or more you will end up with the same liquid you started out with.  Be very careful.

Remove the gelato from the ice cream maker.  Place the frozen gelato into a separate container, cover and freeze until it reaches your desired consistency.  When the gelato freezes a bit firmer, it becomes more creamy.

While the gelato is setting up, make the balsamic glaze.

Note:  This glaze is fabulous on just about anything.  I LOVE to drizzle it over pizza.  Who knew it would be so fabulous on gelato??

You will need:

1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey

In a small skillet add the vinegar.  (Ugh blurry photo.  My apology)

Add the honey.

Stir the mixture while bringing to a simmer.

Continue to stir and simmer until the mixture reduces by half.  The glaze will coat a spoon.

Pour into a bowl or other container and allow to cool.

It’s great to store in a squeeze bottle.  It makes a handy and convenient way to drizzle just about anything you eat.

Dice a few strawberries.

Place a scoop or two of gelato into a serving bowl.

Drizzle with the cooled balsamic glaze.

The tartness of the vinegar combined with the sweet ricotta just makes my mouth water.   Heaven in a bowl.

I started this really bad tradition of eating all of my photo’s.  Bad idea.  Delicious, but very bad idea.

Ricotta Gelato
(Martha Stewart)

2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
2 cups whole milk
5 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Place the milk in a medium size saucepan and bring to a simmer.

2.  Combine the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Cream at medium-high speed until very thick and  pale yellow.

3.  Add half of the warm milk to the egg mixture and stir until blended.  Return the new egg mixture  to the sauce pan with remaining milk.

4.  Cook over low heat until the mixture is thick enough to cover a wooden spoon, stirring constantly.

5.  Remove from heat and add vanilla; stir to combine.

6.  Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.

7.  Stir in ricotta cheese until mixture is smooth.  Cover and refrigerate over night or until well chilled.

8.  Freeze in an ice cream maker according the manufacturer’s instructions.  Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Makes 2 quarts

Balsamic Glaze:

1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey

In a small skillet combine vinegar and honey.  Heat mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture is reduced by half and coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and transfer to a container or bowl.  Allow mixture to cook before drizzling on the gelato.

Garnish:  Diced Strawberries

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