2023 Gelato Workshop at Brooklyn Navy Yard

We pedal churned fresh Mint, Mahaleb, and Saffron-Cardamom-Rose gelatos. Recipes below. We also harvested bee balm (bergamot) and mugwort (artemisia vulgaris). We made, sampled and compared two gelato custard bases — an egg base infused with mugwort and a gum base infused with bee balm.

Saffron-Cardamom-Rose Gelato

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • 3.5 cups whole milk

  • 1 cup sugar

  • .3 grams xanthan gum (approx. 1/16 teaspoon)

  • 1 gram carrageenan (approx. 1/2 teaspoon)

  • 2 teaspoons rice flour

  • 3/4 teaspoons salt

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1/2 saffron threads

  • 8 green cardamom pods

  • 1 tablespoon dried rose petals

Method:

Heat the milk, cream, cup of sugar, crushed cardamom, and rose petals until almost to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to infuse for 10-20 minutes. Measure out the rice flour, salt, gums, and additional 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix together. Turn the heat back on under the cream mixture and whisk in the gum mixture. Bring to a simmer for 10 seconds and remove from heat. Strain. Add the saffron threads. Chill the gelato base over ice. Refrigerator the gelato base until you are ready to churn it in your ice cream maker. (It should keep for 2-4 days in the refrigerator.)

Mint Gelato

  • 2 cups cream

  • 3.5 cups milk

  • 1 cup sugar

  • .3 grams xanthan gum (approx. 1/16 teaspoon)

  • 1 gram carrageenan (approx 1/2 teaspoon) 

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 2 teaspoons rice flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 4 large stalks mint

Method:

Heat the milk, cream, sugar, and mint until almost to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to infuse for 10-20 minutes. Measure out the rice flour, salt, gums, and additional 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix together. Turn the heat back on under the cream mixture and whisk in the gum mixture. Bring to a simmer for 10 seconds and remove from heat. Strain. Chill the gelato base over ice. Refrigerator the gelato base until you are ready to churn it in your ice cream maker. (It should keep for 2-4 days in the refrigerator.)

Mahaleb Gelato

Follow the directions for the mint gelato above and substitute 1 tablespoon crushed mahaleb seeds for the mint.

Gelato Base Cooking Demonstration

These are recipes with proportions that you can make at home. Use any fresh herb or dried spice. You can make a classic egg yolk ice cream base (creme anglaise) or a gelato base with gums. Feel free to substitute locust bean gum for carrageenan.

Bee Balm (Bergamot, Wild Bergamot and the Latin name,  Monarda Didyma) Gelato

*Egg yolk gelato base

  • 1.5  cups milk

  • 1 cup cream

  • 4 egg yolks

  • Hand full of bee balm leaves

  • Scant ½ cup sugar

  • Pinch salt


Mugwort (Wild Chrysanthemum, and the Latin name,  Artemisia Vulgaris) Gelato

*gum based gelato base

1.5 cups milk

1 cup cream

Hand full of mugwort leaves

⅓ cup sugar

Pinch salt

½ teaspoon rice flour, 1/4 teaspoon of carrageenan , pinch of xanthan gum,pinch of sugar

Kate ZuckermanComment