Blueberry Gelato

Directions:
2 cups blueberries
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
zest and juice of 1 lime


Directions:
In a medium saucepan bring the blueberries, water and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer until the blueberries are easily mashed and the sugar is fully dissolved. Mash with a potato masher until fairly smooth. You can either strain (really mashing the pulp with the back of spoon to get all of the guts out) or leave the skins in. Stir in the lime juice and zest. Allow to cool to room temperature then stir in the milk. Refrigerate overnight or until very cold then pour into a ice cream or gelato maker and churn as per the machine's directions. Store in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.

My thoughts:

Homemade gelato has a lot of things going for it. It is infinitely adaptable, lower in fat than ice cream, doesn't use eggs (no tempering or beating to a ribbon needed!)and requires very little over-the-stove time, a major plus when living in a hot and humid place like Baltimore in July. This particular gelato is especially fun to make, the color is dramatic (if a bit bilious in the pre-churned state) and the blueberry flavor remains true and fresh. I always feel a little guilty doing anything with blueberries (so expensive! so already perfect!) beyond simply popping them in my mouth. Gelato, like the blueberry-ginger ice box pie makes the most of their flavor with a minimal amount of fuss.

Kiwi Gelato

Ingredients:
4 golden or green kiwifruit, peeled
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon agave nectar* OR simple syrup

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Pour the mixture into a ice cream maker and churn, about 15 minutes or until frozen and creamy. Serve as is, or freeze until more solid.

*Agave nectar is an natural sweetener that is 1 1/2 times sweeter than sugar. I love to use it in drinks and frozen desserts because dissolves instantly in liquids, and I don't have to bother making simple syrup. It also has a low glycemic index (if that is a concern) and since it is natural, there is no aftertaste. I use 100% Organic Partida Agave Nectar.

My thoughts:

You might be wondering why this kiwi gelato is yellow and not bright green. I made it using the lovely golden kiwi that my friend Heather nicely picked up for me at Trader Joe's this weekend. I've had golden kiwi in the past but haven't been able to find them in years. They are very similar to regular kiwifruit, but their skin is less bristly and they have a higher vitamin C content. I also think they taste less acidic. Anyway, what better, more refreshing way to use kiwi is there than gelato? It has been in the upper '90s for days now, and I needed some relief. I made this recipe so it makes roughly two servings (no leftovers means I can move on and make my next frozen treat!) but it can easily be doubled or even tripled to make this simple, healthy dessert for a crowd.

And let me just mention how difficult it is to photograph gelato when it is over 95 degrees out and you don't have air conditioning. It took about 30 seconds to go from a frozen scoop to completely liquid.

Mint Gelato

Ingredients:
3/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
4 cups whole milk
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:
One the day before you want to eat the gelato, allow the mint leaves to seep in the milk overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day: Pour the milk through a sieve into a saucepan. Scald the milk, then remove from heat. Meanwhile, beat the yolks and sugar together until fluffy. Whisk in a few tablespoons of the scalded milk, then add the egg/milk mixture into the remaining scalded milk. Return to heat on low, stirring occasionally and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Strain and refrigerate until cool. Add to a ice cream maker and churn until frozen and creamy. Remove to a freezer safe container and freeze until hard, about 1-2 hours. Allow to soften slightly before serving.

Yield: about 1 quart

My thoughts:

When we planted mint a few weeks ago I had it in the back of my mind that it might be fun to make some homemade mint ice cream. When it came down to it though, I decided to go the slightly lighter route and make gelato. Gelato is just as tasty but because it is made with whole milk and not heavy cream, has about a 1/3 of the fat. The slightly more subtle texture of gelato worked well with the fresh mint too, it ending up tasting very light and fresh rather than super rich, which really complimented the delicate flavor of the fresh mint. It was also exciting to use mint from the garden-it is the first "harvest" of the year!