By Jan Norris
Ice cream’s a natural in summer in the states, but in Italy, the lighter gelatos and fruity sorbettos fly off the carts and out of the stores.
F.W. Pearce of Gulf Stream knows all about this. He’s written the book on it - The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto (co-authored by Danilo Zecchin, Clarkson Potter, $24.99).
“When I bought Ciao Bella in 1989, gelatos were still new to the United States,” Pearce said. The original New York store was 300 square feet, and Pearce said
there, he swept floors, ran the cash register and did any of the work needed to
keep it open. Today, the chain is in 50 states and does $20 million in
business, though Pearce is no longer its CEO.
The difference in American ice cream and gelatos isn’t much, Pearce said. “Gelato is simply the Italian word for ice cream. But it varies throughout Italy — from
the fuller-fat styles in northern Italy, to the relatively low-fat Southern
Italian types.”
Here in the U.S., most people associate them with low-fat milk bases, made with fruit and chocolate flavors. Flavorings are another difference — Italians, and
Europeans in general, prefer less sweet flavors and nut varieties like
hazelnut, caramel, espresso and stracciatella — their version of chocolate chip.
Americans love much sweeter stuff — chocolate, sweet vanillas and fruits.
Sorbetto, the other cousin of ice cream, but without the cream, is just another word for non-dairy frozen fruit concoctions.
Both are easily made at home, with little more than fresh ingredients (sourcing the best is what made Ciao Bella an award-winning product, Pearce said) a
thermometer and a couple of pots and pans. An ice cream maker is a good thing
to have for the gelatos, but sorbets can be made in baking pans or ice trays,
using a blender.
Pearce said the tricks are simple: Do not try to rush the cooking of the custard base by turning up the heat or you’ll wind up with scrambled eggs. “Use a
thermometer and cook it over low heat. Just be patient,” he said.
As for the flavorings — be creative. Fruit alone is great, but you can mix in other foods. Their latest best seller is a Key Lime Graham Cracker; we’re
printing it here from the book (there are 124 more recipes) with his
permission. Combining flavors results in some exciting and refreshing flavors —
the mint-watermelon sorbetto is a summertime delight.
For sorbettos, you also can add alcohol, which, Pearce says, improves the texture, since the alcohol slows the icing of the concoction, resulting in a smoother,
finer ice crystal. So, just like you would plug a watermelon with vodka,
considering adding a half-cup or so to this sorbetto.
The back of the book gives presentations — how to make a quenelle scoop like a pro — and other recipes for show-stopping ways with gelato and sorbetto. We’re
stealing the mango and raspberry coulis plate-painting trick for our next
party.
Key Lime Graham Cracker Gelato
Note: The base for this can be used in numerous other gelatos; it makes about 1 quart.
Plain base - 1 quart
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, preferably Key lime juice
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
For Plain Base:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
To make the base: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, so a skin doesn’t form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and the
mixture reaches 170 degrees F.
Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper the egg yolks by very slowly
pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. Return the custard
to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a
wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon
and it reaches a temperature of 185 degrees F. Do not allow mixture to boil.
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so. To cool the custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and
water and placing the bowl of custard in it; stir the custard until cooled.
Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold before using - at
least 4 hours or overnight.
To complete the Key lime gelato: Make the Plain Base as directed and chill well. Gently whisk the lime juice and zest into the base. Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and churn according
to the manufacturer’s directions. Just after churning, quickly stir in the
graham cracker crumbs (tip: use a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon), do not
completely mix - leave them as ribbons of crumbs throughout. Transfer to an
airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours (this is called ripening)
before serving.
Makes approximately 1 quart.
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