Ice Cream Fridays: Coconut-Almond Gelato and Giveway Winner Announcement

Welcome to another edition of Ice Cream Fridays. Every Friday during the next few months (or until I get tired of it) you can look forward to a new ice cream recipe which will hopefully inspire you to break out your old dust covered ice cream maker that is hiding somewhere in a closet (yes, I'm talking about you). Since I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas, feel free to leave me a comment here on my blog or on my facebook page, and let me know what ice cream flavor you would like to see. Who knows, you might just get lucky and it will be featured the following week.

Remember when I told you a few weeks ago that I was so excited about my coconut ice cream flavor that I made two different ice creams containing coconut? Well, today I'm featuring the second one, an Almond Joy Gelato inspired by one of my favorite candy bars.

Really, is there any way to go wrong with coconut, almonds, and chocolate? I didn't think so, and when I found this recipe in yet another fantastic ice cream book, The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto  I couldn't have been happier.

This recipe starts pretty much like most ice creams I've made in the last few weeks, with a cooked custard. Only difference is, the milk and cream proportions get reversed, which means less fat in the finished dessert. The cooked custard is then cooled in the refrigerator before adding almond extract and coconut. The base is then churned in your ice cream maker, and right before it finishes, toasted almonds and chopped up semi-sweet (or bitter-sweet) chocolate are added to the mix.

This is a great recipe that was really tasty. I enjoyed it and so did my two older kids. Unfortunately my youngest and husband didn't care for it as much as some of the other recipes I have made. If there is one tiny complaint about this recipe it is definitely the "chew-factor". A small portion goes a long way since your jaw will get quite the workout from all the add-ins, but then maybe I'm just a wimp who enjoys a smoother ice cream.

But if Almond Joy is your candy of choice, this is a definite must-make recipe!
(Recipe after the winner announcement)

And now for the  $40.00 csn stores Giveaway Winner which was picked by Random.org:

Congratulations to 

Jessica from Sugar High

csn stores will contact you by email with the certificate code, enjoy your shopping trip!

Coconut-Almond Gelato
(adapted from The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto)
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients:

Plain Base (recipe to follow)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 ounces coarsely chopped bitter or semi-sweet chocolate

Preparation:

Make the Plain Base and refrigerate as directed.

After the base has thoroughly chilled gently whisk in the almond extract, then stir in the coconut. Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacture's instructions. Add the almonds and chocolate 5 minutes before the churning is completed. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.



Plain Base

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar

Preparation:

In a heavy-bottom 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 a temperature of 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 bring to a 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 with the custard in it; stir the custard until cooled. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.