Monday, January 19, 2009

Stracciatella ice cream

Stracciatella ice cream

After seeing photos of David Fincher’s new movie, I was stunned – couldn’t wait for it to premiere here in Brazil. Now that the day has come I don’t feel like running to the theater anymore... I anticipated it too much, I believe. I do that sometimes.

But not all anticipations are bad. There is one that has been pure joy – after months of dreaming of an ice cream maker I finally gave in and bought it. These fabulous girls were a huge influence, I have to say. Now I’ll be able to make their delicious ice cream and sorbet recipes, too.

Another great inspiration for ice cream lovers like me is David Lebovitz, and I started out with one of his recipes, found here. I’ve made this ice cream twice already – my husband and my brother finished up the first batch so quickly I could not get one single photo. :D

Stracciatella ice cream

Stracciatella ice cream

1 cup (240ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150g) sugar
2 cups (480ml) heavy cream, divided
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
140g (5 oz) fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), chopped

Combine milk, sugar, and 1 cup (240ml) cream in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. With tip of a knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into mixture, then add pod. Bring mixture just to a boil, whisking until sugar has dissolved, then remove from heat. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

Reheat cream mixture over medium heat, stirring, until hot. Whisk yolks in a medium bowl, then add half of hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then pour yolk mixture into remaining cream mixture in saucepan, whisking. Cook custard over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 76 to 79ºC/170 to 175ºF on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil).

Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Stir in vanilla and remaining cup cream, then return vanilla pod to mixture. Chill, uncovered, until cool, then chill, covered, at least 6 hours. Remove vanilla pod and freeze custard in ice cream maker.

While ice cream is freezing, melt chocolate in clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring frequently, then transfer to a 1-cup glass measure. When ice cream has finished churning, carefully pour chocolate in a slow stream directly onto ice cream as it churns and continue to churn 30 seconds (chocolate will harden in streaks). Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Makes about 1 quart (950ml)

Stracciatella ice cream

25 comments:

  1. I absolutely love my ice cream maker. You will have so much fun with yours!
    And, even though you may have anticipated the movie too much, you really should check it out. I think it is just beautiful and I loved it.

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  2. Ooh, beautiful. I see you did the classic method of getting the chocolate streaks-- perfect!
    I wasn't really interested in the movie but I have to say one of the pictures I saw for it (maybe for the actual book?) of a mother holding an "aged" baby was hauntingly beautiful.

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  3. spectacular ! this ice cream is so tempting and its creaminess is so captivating. yummy yummy . :( i can't lick it

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  4. I remember the first time I tasted this, at a gelateria in Venice (Italy, of course!) -- it was without a doubt the best "vanilla chip ice cream" I'd ever had.

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  5. STUNNING...read about it on his website & you've done a brilliant job Pat. The picture is beautiful too.

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  6. Oooh, fabulous! Love the photos too.

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  7. long time no hear my firend! this is one of my fave ice cream flavors! you make it look delicious!

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  8. i saw this photo on flickr but didn't have a chance to comment. stracciatella is one of my favorites. beautiful!

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  9. Beautiful! This is one that I haven't tried, but I definitely want to!

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  10. My ice cream maker is the best kitchen thing I have ever bought. I haven't tried this recipe, but it certainly on my list now.

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  11. Oooh. This looks so creamy and delicious! It's one of my favorite gelato flavors. Beautiful photo!

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  12. David Lebovitz is always an inspiration. As are you. :)

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  13. Oh dear. Patricia, I think we're connected in some strange way. When I couldn't get alfajores out of my mind and was looking for a good recipe, I looked at your blog, and your post that day was for alfajores. And now, when I have just bought an ice cream maker, and have also been thinking about making Straciatella, you've done it again...

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  14. Ah - a wonderful old favourite. Looks perfect!

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  15. Ah - a wonderful old favourite. Looks perfect!

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  16. Ah - a wonderful old favourite. Looks perfect!

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  17. Sarah, I'm in love with mine, too! :D
    Maybe I'll watch it when the DVD is released. Tks, sweetie!

    Mark, I love that method! :D
    Oh, and a movie with Cate Blanchett is a movie worth being watched, right? :D

    Natalie, thank you, darling!
    xx

    Lydia, this flavor is extremely popular here in Sao Paulo, maybe because of the large Italian colony, I don't know.

    Deeba, darling, thank you!!
    xoxo

    Nic, thank you!

    Meeta, and you've put a smile on my face with your comment! :D

    Aran, thank you!

    Nurit, thank you for visiting!

    Pam, I think you should! :D

    KJ, and I'll be trying your ice cream recipes, too. :D

    Lisa, thank you!

    Dragon, you are so sweet! Thank you, darling!

    Vidya, I'm so glad you left a comment, tks! I hope you try this recipe, it's really good.

    A Fork..., thank you!

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  18. Oh. MY. Goodness. This just popped out at me. I HAVE TO MAKE THIS ICE CREAM. It looks amazing!
    What makes it stracciatella? For some reason I thought that had hazelnut.

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  19. I think you've encouraged me to make some ice cream. This sounds delicious! Chocolate chip has always been a favorite. How do you get your scoops so perfect?

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  20. Even though it's freezing cold here, this makes me want to get out the ice cream maker!

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  21. hmmm...love your ice cream!

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  22. Wow stracciatella is my fave! That and dark chocolate orange ice-cream. Well done for actually making it!

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  23. real stracciatella has no vanilla >___<

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  24. All of your pictures are so incredible! This ice cream looks fantastic - I just tried a stracciatella recipe this last weekend, only it was for gelato and ended up turning into ice milk, but I loved it. ;)

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