If you're looking for something a tad lower in calories than regular chocolate ice cream and so much better than anything you can buy in your local supermarket (even Tillamook...GASP), then you've come to the right place.
This gelato starts life simply as whole milk, a touch of cream, a bit of sugar and a whole cup of cocoa powder, then becomes a custard with the addition of egg yolks. Kicked up a notch with some good vanilla and a wee dram of Kahlua and cooled overnight before it hits the Ice Cream Maker, the finished product is about as chocolatey as chocolate can be - deep, dark, rich, smooth, creamy and altogether totally decadent.
I made it while Trudy and John were here so they could get a tiny taste and honestly we were supposed to have it for dessert Tuesday night but I couldn't talk them into staying for another day, so instead of cookin' up a chicken storm and bringing out the good silverwear, the big guy and yours truly had the Ham Tetrazzini you saw yesterday and finished a meyer lemon tart instead. Poor us.
But last night...oh last night we had this fabulous gelato along with a glass of Remi. That's really all you need - two spoons, a bowl of gelato for each of us and booze to make cold Tucson a warm place to be...again. Oh - we need to thank Ina for this fabulous frozen dessert. I did make a couple of slight changes and I have to admit, I even left some chocolate out. Imagine that! Just a word from the wise - be sure to use a VERY good quality cocoa powder or it'll have a weird kind of mouth feel. I used Trader Joe's and it was lovely.
Check out her original recipe here. We don't want the cyber police after us, do we?
I would eat your chocolate gelato anyday!!!
Posted by: Nanan | 01/06/2011 at 06:17 AM
Wish I could ship you some, Lea!
Posted by: June | 01/06/2011 at 07:03 AM
Sounds fabulous!
Posted by: pam | 01/06/2011 at 08:06 AM
It's certainly chocolate overload (if there can be such a thing). Ha.
Posted by: June | 01/06/2011 at 09:00 AM
Wow chocolate gelato...it sure sounds and looks delicious...specially with Kalua :-)
Posted by: Juliana | 01/06/2011 at 12:30 PM
Juliana - the booze is actually necessary as it keeps the gelato from freezing too hard. This one could use a little more of it - ah darn. Ha .
Posted by: June | 01/06/2011 at 12:40 PM
This is next on my list. Made the eggplant thingy and Navin absolutely LOVED it! Said I could make it as many times as I wanted (which means it's really, really good). Waiting on the Calamari since I can't get fresh fennel. No chance of making that with just fennel seeds?
Posted by: Sophia | 01/06/2011 at 12:53 PM
Sophia - glad Navin loved the eggplant dish. As for calamari - it really needs the fennel (which they may also have listed as anise) because it would be way too boring without it, although you could add a half pound of good hot Italian sausage and it may add the kick required
Posted by: June | 01/06/2011 at 01:13 PM
Making this just might get me away from my peanut M&Ms! Man, does that look delicious June.
Posted by: Mags | 01/06/2011 at 02:16 PM
Hey, thanks Mags. Nice to see you back!
Posted by: June | 01/06/2011 at 05:24 PM
Oooh, I like the idea of carrots in chowder. I've never seen carrots in clam chowder up here in Boston, but it sounds lovely.
Posted by: Katie@Cozydelicious | 01/07/2011 at 07:27 PM
Katie - I copied your comment and moved it to the "Chowder" post, but just had to repeat... I know carrots go completely against tradition in New England Clam Chowder, but I was out of celery and thought "why not". Call it "cooks license".
Posted by: June | 01/08/2011 at 06:38 AM