Fior di latte/fleur de lait is my favorite gelato to make and I got to wondering if I could make a chocolate version. I discovered that adding two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to my Fior di Latte Gelato recipe creates a delicious, mildly chocolate variation, reminiscent of a chocolate malt.
As with the original recipe, the flavor here depends on the quality of milk and cream you use, so taste until you find your favorite. Usually I choose organic milk but some of the A2 milks I’ve tried recently have been really good.
Related recipes: Fresh Spearmint Ice Cream, Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Cream, Saffron Rosewater Ice Cream, Overnight Meringues, Chardonnay Sorbet, and Bourbon Frozen Custard
Fior di Latte Gelato (Fleur de Lait), Cocoa Gelato variation
makes 1½ pints; adapted from David Lebovitz's Fleur de Lait in The Perfect Scoop and Serious Eats' Fior de Latte
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
Cocoa Gelato Variation: add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder when you add the cornstarch
Instructions
-
Measure milk and cream into a 4-cup glass measure. Pour half into saucepan and add the sugar, cornstarch, and pinch of salt. Whisk to combine and set pan over moderate heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Lower heat to maintain a gentle rather than vigorous bubbling, continue whisking a couple minutes to cook the starch, preventing a raw flavor. The whole process will take about 5 minutes.
-
Add reserved milk and cream to the cooked mixture. Whisk to combine and pour back into the 4-cup measure. Cool slightly and press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate overnight then freeze in ice cream maker.
Recipe Notes / Tips
- To make same day vs. overnight chill: use an ice bath to cool down the gelato base and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours before churning.
- Note for Cuisinart freezer bowl: Bowl must be frozen solid, no sloshy sounds when you shake it. Mine needs at least 24 hours to get frozen solid, so in peak ice cream making season, I store it in the freezer so it is always ready to go. Set up the mixing blade, turn on the machine, stir the gelato base, and pour into the machine. Set timer for 18–20 minutes then transfer to a freezer container to firm up. My favorite is the oblong glide-a-scoop by Tovolo.
- For stracciatella, melt 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate then stir in a tablespoon of coconut oil. Drizzle into the gelato during the last two minutes of churning.
- For cocoa gelato, add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder with the cornstarch and proceed with the recipe.
