No-Churn Espresso Gelato from ‘No-Churn Ice Cream’
No ice cream maker at home? No problem. In honor of Yahoo Food’s Ice Cream Week, we’ve selected a handful of the creamiest, dreamiest recipes from No-Churn Ice Cream: Over 100 Simply Delicious No-Machine Frozen Treats by Leslie Bilderback (St. Martin’s Griffin). They deliver all of the scoops, minus any serious equipment. Try making one at home and let us know what you think!
Photograph by Teri Lyn Fisher
No-Churn Espresso Gelato
Makes about 1 quart of gelato
In my opinion there is nothing on earth better than a good espresso ice cream. They do it best in Italy, where the gelato is intensely flavored and slowly churned. To approximate this experience, I prefer to use real coffee beans rather than espresso powder or extract. The flavor is richer be cause the oil of the bean is still present. If you are concerned about falling asleep, go ahead and choose decaffeinated beans. The drip grind is preferable, as the larger bits are easier to strain away, although you will still have some tiny flakes of coffee bean, which are, frankly, delightful.
¼ cup Italian espresso beans, ground for drip (or 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder or coffee extract)
1 cup evaporated milk
3 tablespoons coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
One 13-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream
Combine the ground espresso beans and the evaporated milk in a small saucepan, bring just to a boil, then set aside to steep and cool completely. Strain through a very fine–mesh strainer, or multiple layers of cheesecloth, to remove the coffee grounds.
In a large bowl, combine the coffee milk with the liqueur, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and sweetened condensed milk.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it reaches soft peak. Fold the cream gently into the coffee base, then transfer the mixture to a shallow freezable container.
Cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper pressed directly on the surface of the ice cream, and place in the freezer for 6 hours.
Scoop and serve with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, a drizzle of coffee liqueur, chocolate-covered espresso beans, crushed almond toffee, or a simple dollop of whipped cream and a shake of cinnamon, like a cappuccino.
VARIATIONS
Cinnamon Coffee: This is another typical coffeehouse combination. Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the milk just after it is warmed, then proceed with the recipe as directed.
More no-churn desserts:
Everything to Know About No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
How to Make Salted Caramel Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
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