In Sicily, gelato has always been made differently. While the rest of Italy builds its gelato on an egg yolk custard, Sicily has its own ancient tradition. The crema rinforzata is a base thickened with cornstarch rather than eggs, rooted in the Arab culinary influence that shaped the island's food culture beginning in the 9th century. The result is a brighter, lighter, velvety gelato that requires no tempering and lets the flavor of the ingredient come through more cleanly.
This recipe is my interpretation of that tradition. The base is Sicilian in technique but the flavors are a conversation between Southern Italy and Japan. Lemon, specifically the fragrant zest of organic lemons, is the Amalfi Coast in a single ingredient, and paired alongside the fennel, it truly is the Amalfi Coast in a bite! Yuzu, the floral Japanese citrus, does not compete with the lemon. It makes the lemon taste more completely like itself. Fennel seeds are steeped directly into the milk, adding a quiet anise warmth that has always belonged beside citrus in Southern Italian cooking. And the homemade toasted almond butter is ground from scratch and worked directly into the base, adding a deep roasted nuttiness.
This is a gelato that tastes like the Amalfi Coast in summer. Light, bright, refreshing, with layers of flavor that reveal themselves slowly as it melts. A recipe paying homage to my roots in Sicily, my love for Japan, and the place that made me fall in love with Italy, the Amalfi Coast.
Sicilian Style Lemon, Yuzu and Fennel Gelato with Homemade Toasted Almond Butter
4
servingsIngredients
3 tbsp. 3 fennel seeds
4 cups 4 whole milk, divided
1/2 1/2 Tahitian vanilla bean, split and scraped
zest of 3 organic lemons, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
1 cup 1 granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. 1/2 fine sea salt
1 tsp. 1 yuzu juice
6 tbsp. 6 cornstarch
1/3 cup 1/3 homemade toasted almond paste
- For the Homemade Toasted Almond Butter
raw unsalted almonds, roasted until deep golden brown
Directions
- In a medium saucepan dry toast the fennel seeds over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Turn the heat off and add 3 cups of the whole milk, the scraped vanilla bean seeds and pod, and the lemon zest strips.
- Turn the heat back on and bring just to a simmer until you see steam rising from the surface, then turn the heat off, cover, and steep for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a separate bowl combine the sugar, salt, yuzu juice, and cornstarch and stir to combine, then add the remaining 1 cup of whole milk and stir until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Turn the heat back on to medium low and add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and the almond butter to the steeped milk, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula, never a whisk, as you do not want to incorporate air.
- Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. It should have the consistency of pastry cream or a thick pudding. It will coat the back of the spoon, or nappe. Do not stop stirring or the milk at the bottom will scorch.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lemon zest strips, fennel seeds, and vanilla pod.
- Allow to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to a covered airtight container and refrigerate overnight. This resting period is called maturazione. During maturazione the proteins and fats in the milk fully hydrate and bind together, the flavors deepen and develop, and the base becomes significantly more stable for churning. The result is a smoother, creamier, and more flavorful gelato than you could achieve by churning the same day. Do not skip it, please.
- The next day, churn in your ice cream machine for 15 to 20 minutes or until set and creamy.
- Transfer immediately to a pre frozen stainless steel container, press parchment directly onto the surface, seal, and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.
- Remove from the freezer and let sit at room temp for about 10 to 20 minutes before serving to soften.
- On the Homemade Toasted Almond butter
- Toast raw unsalted almonds in a dry pan or in the oven until deeply golden brown (Refer to the ingredient image to see how golden the almonds should be).
- The color matters—a darker roast brings out the most flavor and gives the paste its extraordinary depth.
- Transfer to a food processor and blend for 5 to 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides every minute or so, until the almonds release their natural oils and form a dense rich paste.
- This is your almond butter. No additives. No oil added. Just almonds doing exactly what they are supposed to do.
Notes
- Whole milk only, not lactose free, not reduced fat. The fat content of whole milk is essential to the texture and richness of this gelato.
- Always use a wooden spoon or spatula when stirring the base, never a whisk. A whisk incorporates air and you want none of it in this base.
- The base must be chilled completely overnight before churning. This resting period is called maturazione and it is one of the most important steps in authentic Italian gelato making. Please do not skip it.
- This recipe was developed using the KitchenAid ice cream bowl attachment. The bowl must be frozen solid for a minimum of 24 hours before churning. Any ice cream or gelato machine you have will work beautifully, simply follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific machine.
- Always store in stainless steel or metal, never plastic. Press parchment directly onto the surface before sealing to prevent ice crystals from forming.
- Remove from the freezer and let sit at room temp for about 10 to 20 minutes before serving to soften
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