Recipe: Lemon Gelato

Title: Lemon Gelato
Categories: Italian, Desserts
Yield: 1 servings

6 md Lemons 1/8 ts Salt
1 1/3 c Sugar 2 2/3 c Half-and-half
6 Egg yolks 1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
1 1/3 c Heavy cream

PREPARATION: Grate the zest of 6 lemons and set aside in a bowl with the
sugar. OR, use a vegetable peeler to remove 3/4 cup zest from the lemons
and process the lemon strips with the sugar in a food processor until zest
is minced, about 30 seconds. Set lemons aside.

COOKING: Whisk the egg yolks with the cream and salt in a heatproof mixing
bowl. Put the half-and-half and lemon-sugar in a medium non- aluminum
saucepan. Bring liquid to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove
pan from heat. Slowly whisk the hot half-and-half into the egg yolk
mixture. Then return the partially cooked custard to the saucepan. Stir
constantly over medium-low heat until mixture begins to thicken slightly
and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes (the approximate consistency
of unwhipped heavy cream). Pour hot custard into a bowl without straining.
Stir in the vanilla. Put a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface
of the custard to prevent skin from forming. Set custard aside at room
temperature to cool. (Can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up
to 48 hours.)

FREEZING: Squeeze 3/4 cup juice from the lemons and stir juice into cooled
custard. Transfer the custard mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze
according to manufacrurer's instructions.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

[COOKS; Jul/Aug 1988] Posted by Fred Peters.