">Michael Laiskonis' Balsamic Vinegar Gelato

Michael Laiskonis' Balsamic Gelato

Add a chef-y touch to Italy's famous frozen dessert with an authentic Italian ingredient.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ chefs are innovating with Italy's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in sweet and savory dishes and drinks. Here, Creative Director Michael Laiskonis incorporates the ingredient into a beautiful gelato dessert.

Using balsamic in a gelato is a novel way to incorporate its flavors into a composed dessert and one that I've enjoyed for years. I like to utilize both the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena; the former lends acidity, while the latter adds a layer of sweet depth. Adding the balsamic at the end of the cooking process preserves their flavor, while the low fat content of a gelato-style ice cream further allows those flavors to emerge. As part of a composed plated dessert, I like to use this gelato as a foil for fresh fruit or to complement the flavors of nuts and complex dried fruits.

Recipe

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Gelato

Yields approximately 1 liter

Ingredients

  • 600 grams whole milk
  • 125 grams heavy cream (36% fat)
  • 30 grams nonfat dry milk
  • 140 grams granulated sugar
  • 30 grams glucose powder
  • 4 grams ice cream stabilizer
  • 45 grams Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
  • 25 grams Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

Directions

  1. Place the milk and cream in a sauce pan. Whisk in the dry milk, sugar, glucose and stabilizer, and heat, continually stirring, to 85ËšF/185ËšC.
  2. Remove from heat and whisk in the balsamics; homogenize with an immersion blender. Chill in an ice water bath. Allow mixture to mature at least 12 hours.
  3. Process in batch freezer; extract the mix at 23ËšF /-5ËšC. Alternatively, transfer the base to PacoJet canisters and freeze; process as needed.

Learn more about Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and .

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