When fresh is not the best.......

          When I first made Mint Chip Gelato, I used fresh mint leaves which were immersed in  warm milk to produce natural mint flavour. But my family did'nt like it.... Amir said it tasted 'strange'! So this time, I used peppermint essence instead. "Now it tastes normal!" said Amir. Actually, I like the essence better too.....

           I don't really like taking pictures of ice-cream, especially on a hot day like we've been having the past few days. With  Ramadan arriving in two weeks, I hope the weather will have some mercy on us.....like today when it rained for a while. Anyway, this gelato is certainly a soothing dessert on a hot day!

Once again, I've adapted Torrance Kopfer's recipe found in Making Artisan Gelato.

Ingredients:

2 cups (470ml).............................whole milk

1/2 cup (100g)............................. granulated sugar

4 (large) .......................................egg yolks

1 cup (235ml)...............................dairy whipping cream

1/4 tsp..........................................pure vanilla paste

1 1/2tsp........................................peppermint essence

1/2 cup (90g)................................chopped dark chocolate (leave the chopped chocolate in the freezer for a few hours before adding to the gelato)

Method:

1. Combine the milk and about 1/2 of the sugar in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it registers 77 deg C (170 deg F) on an instant-read thermometer.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until foamy and slightly thickened.
3. Carefully and slowly, pour about half of the hot milk to the eggs, whisking continuously. Pour the heated egg mixture into the saucepan with the hot milk and return to the stove top.
4. Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, cook the mixture over medium heat until it registers 85 deg C (185 deg F) on an instant-read thermometer or is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon or spatula,  Do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove from the heat. If the mixture is not completely smooth, emulsify it by using a hand whisk or stand  blender and blending it until smooth, before proceeding to the next step.
5. Combine the whipping cream and vanilla paste in a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl and stir until the powder dissolves and set it over an ice bath (i.e. a bowl filled with ice & cold water).
6. Pour the heated custard through a strainer into the cold cream and stir until fully incorporated and the mixture has fully cooled. Then remove the bowl of  mixture from the ice bath, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
7. When ready, pour the chilled mixture into the  ice-cream maker and process according to manufacturer's specifications. Add in the frozen chopped chocolate about 10 minutes before the end of the churning process.
8. Remove the finished gelato from the ice-cream maker and place it in a plastic container. Cover with plastic wrap or silicone paper by pressing the wrap or paper gently against the top of the gelato.Affix lid to container and place in the freezer to fully harden before serving.

Makes about 1 litre.