Fresh Mint Gelato Recipe
Fresh mint gelato is a delightful use for a herb with a tenacity and resilience that can be overwhelming to a [once] curated landscape.
Fresh Mint Gelato
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- 7 sprigs mint
Instructions
- Combine milk, cream, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium to large sauce pan, whisking until smooth
- Place on medium heat and slowly bring mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking
- Continue stirring until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (10-15 minutes)
- Remove from heat and pour into a heat- and freezer-safe container, stirring to begin cooling process
- Submerge rinsed mint leaves for 5-7 minutes (keep them on the stems if possible)
- Use a slotted spoon to remove leaves from mixture
- Cool mixture by placing into a refrigerator for 1-3 hours
- Follow your ice cream maker's directions for gelato to freeze or place in a freezer-safe container and into a freezer for 4-8 hours, hand-churning every 30 minutes
Note: Coating the Spoon
“Allow to thicken until it coats the back of spoon” is a phrase that pervades custard protocols and cooking blogs. It sounds intimidating, but like “whipping until stiff peaks form” is rather obvious once achieved.
If you’re ready for that “aha” moment, have patience and keep stirring . It will come.
Minty Goodness: Mint Gelato Mods
Fresh Mint
When dealing with fresh herbs, slight adjustments shift the appearance and flavor significantly.
If eaten immediately, the fresh mint taste is very much akin to eating the leaves straight. Time enhances the flavor – waiting a day or two allows the the tartness or bite to mellow while the mint flavor becomes more pronounced.
This fresh mint gelato recipe can be used with whatever mint varietal you have on hand – each will have a unique flavor profile that will reflect in the taste of the final product. Here, I used spearmint; however chocolate mint, ginger mint, and peppermint make for equally intriguing includes.
A quick interlude regarding mint if you consider cultivating your own crop: Mint is a particularly resilient and self-perpetuating plant. It is easy to grow indoors, within a pot, or if added to a garden. Given the opportunity and the right conditions, mint will flourish beyond what was hoped for, anticipated, and, potentially, desired. Pruning and maintenance are needed to contain this plant, but it can make for excellent ground cover and inspiration for those with a black thumb.
There are also options to mix in other herbs, or utilize the mint in another base, to make vanilla mint, matcha mint, basil mint, rosemary mint, or lemon mint frozen treats.
Mint extract can be utilized instead of fresh mint, however it would then no longer be “fresh” mint but would likely satisfy a craving for the flavor.
A drop or so of green food coloring would be required to push the color towards “mint green”. Normally, the green of the leaves would not leech into the cream mixture; the final gelato is a pure, creamy white and practically visibly indistinguishable from vanilla. Store in unmarked containers at your own risk.
Additional options involve mixing in chocolate chips, mint cookies, brownies or starting with a chocolate base and extending the length of mint submersion.
For more gelato fun check out these posts. For other frozen treats, check out these posts.