Lemon Gelato
Summer is about ice cream 🍨 and other cold treats! It’s a sweet pleasure we all crave. At home, frozen treats are rotated from week to week. I always have a few varieties in my freezer. If you ask me which is my favorite, frankly, I won’t know what to say. I enjoy them all; Strawberry Ice Cream 🍓, Fudgesicles, Mango Sorbet, popsicles, etc.
Although I can’t tell you exactly which one I prefer, there’s an Italian classic that I really like and it’s Lemon Gelato! This is probably the most refreshing frozen treat to enjoy this season. With a creamy texture, the right amount of lemon 🍋, plus limoncello (optional), this is simply delicious!
The recipe is quite simple… It requires 6 ingredients (8 if you add limoncello and food coloring) and after chilling the mixture for a few hours then churning it, you’re ready to enjoy it right away if you want. Unlike typical ice cream which are hard, Lemon Gelato is enjoyed soft. I personally prefer it hard so I return my churned mixture to the freezer for a day.
Another plus about it is I don’t use any yolks. I honestly don’t think they’re needed! With the right balance of heavy cream and whole milk (don’t use anything else), the texture will be incredibly creamy and velvety.
While many simply mix all the ingredients in the jar of a blender, I do an extra step. I combine heavy cream, whole milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan on medium heat. I stir until the sugar is dissolved – I DON’T warm up the mixture – and as soon as it’s done, I remove it from the heat. Doing this step helps melt the sugar as well as the ground sea salt. If this step isn’t done, you’ll end up with crystalized sugar and some crunch in your mixture… not exactly what I call “smooth”. 😋
Lemon zest is also added to this recipe. The best kitchen tool to have it as small as possible is to use a microplane. A grater is another option but the zest will have to be chopped into smaller pieces. Of course, using the best quality lemons 🍋 will give a superior result to this cold treat.
An ingredient that is sooo non -traditional is Limoncello! In the video, I don’t show it but if you want to use it, reduce the amount of lemon juice to 1/2 cup and add 2 tablespoon of the Italian liqueur. Keep in mind that you’ll have no choice but to freeze it after it’s churned as the liqueur will thin out the mixture.
Let’s talk about food coloring… Because I film the recipe and take pictures of it, of course, I will intensify the color. Do you need it? The answer is “no”. On the other hand, we all eat with our eyes 👀 first and adding a little, makes it more appealing. I have 4 different Natural Food Coloring recipes so check them out…
Incredibly refreshing and tasty, this Lemon Gelato (Gelato al Limone) is perfect to enjoy on a hot summer day 🌞. With the perfect amount of sweetness, this cold treat is a thirst-quencher! Simple to make with just a few ingredients, this is a recipe that everyone should make this summer…
Bon Appétit! 🍽
Here are more scrumptious cold treat recipes for you to try… 😀
– Mint Chocolate Ice Cream
– Piña Colada Ice Cream
– Kiwi Vodka Sorbet
– Granita di Caffè Con Panna • Italian Coffee Granita
– Black Cherry Ice Cream
– Passion Fruit Ice Cream
– Yogurt Bars with Fruit & Nuts
and for even more ice cold treat recipes 🍦, click on this link… Recipe Category • Ice Cream & More
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Lemon Gelato
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/16 tsp. ground sea salt
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (see footnote) tips & tricks
- 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest
- 3 drops natural food coloring (optional) see Recipe
Directions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar and salt. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved – don’t warm up the mixture – and remove from the heat.
- In the jar of a blender, add milk mixture, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Process on high speed until blended, about 30 seconds. While the blender is running, add some food coloring.
- Transfer the mixture to a large measuring cup, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours.
- Later, pour the lemon mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturers’ instructions.
- Scoop the gelato into an ice cream container and transfer to the freezer for a good 18 hours or enjoy it right away. Yields 4 cups/1 quart.
Notes
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