'The World's Best Chocolate Ice Cream'
By on October 26, 2009 9:42 PM
I have said it before and I will say it again, I believe that the Italian's are some of the most convivial and passionate people out there. They have an intrinsic understanding of one of life's most vital tenets, and that is, that food is to be shared. Basic attributes such as bounty, openness, generosity, community and mutuality are the essential principles that should undergird both our kitchens and tables. Irrespective of where the exchange takes place, be it around an actual, physical table amongst family and friends or online via a social network, I have always found the Italian's to be consistently pleasant, amiable, genuine and extremely satisfying!
I recently gifted myself with my very own ice cream machine. The minute I walked out of the store I knew exactly what recipe I wanted to try first - Marcella Hazan's world famous 'Gelato di Cioccolato del Cipriani'. Hence, I first came across this recipe years ago in Nigella Lawson's book How to Eat where she rightly declared it to be - 'the world's best chocolate ice cream'.
Having neither Marcella nor her book at hand, I decided to email Marcella directly and kindly ask her for the recipe. Never in a million years would I have dreamt that she would respond, because both you and I know that Marcella Hazan is 'culinary royalty'. Yet, to my utter surprise Marcella - the world renowned, celebrated cook and author did respond, and respond she did in just a little over twelve hours!
I was absolutely flabbergasted that she bothered to take the time to respond to an insignificant email, sent by a complete stranger about gelato! Such a simple gesture, yet in doing so, this culinary icon demonstrated to me the enormity of her character, passion, dedication and integrity, something that some of the 'ever so busy' and 'way too important' self-publishers out there unfortunately lack.
Hence, this is what the darling Marcella had to say:
Oh, Nanette, what a coincidence. I just made that gelato last Tuesday for my husband's birthday. I followed the recipe the Cipriani's pastry chef gave me almost 25 years ago which - if you are careful about following it literally - is foolproof. You'll find it in my third book, Marcella's Italian Kitchen, published by Knopf in 1986. It is still in print. I have made it so many times, always for my husband's birthday, for some of my classes, and occasionally for dinner parties. It has never failed. A very important step is to caramelize the sugar until it is extremely dark. Let me know how you make out. I hope your children like it. It is not very sweet.
Ciao, ciao
Marcella
So without further ado, I give to you Marcella Hazan's world famous - Il Gelato di Cioccolato del Cipriani recipe! And 'yes' Marcella, I followed the recipe to the letter and it was divine!
Il Gelato di Cioccolato del Cipriani
The secret to this gelato is the molten brown caramelised sugar that is added to the cocoa and dark chocolate, which intensifies both its flavour and colour. Essentially you are after the taste of burnt sugar as it's that 'smoky bitterness' that sets this chocolate gelato apart from all the others.
Recipe source Marcella's Italian Kitchen 1986
Ingredients
4 egg yolks (I used organic eggs)
130g plus 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
500ml full fat milk (I used organic milk)
100g dark chocolate (I used a min. of 70% cocoa solids)
40g unsweetened cocoa powder (I used 100% Dutch cocoa powder)
Method
1. Put the egg yolks and 130g of granulated sugar in a bowl and beat with a whisk until they are creamy and form pale ribbons.
2. Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan, then add it to the beaten yolks, trickling it in slowly and steadily and mixing it in with the whisk.
3. Melt the chocolate in the upper half of a double boiler, then pour it into the bowl containing the egg yolks and milk mixture, mixing it in thoroughly with the whisk.
4. Add and mix in the cocoa.
5. Transfer the contents of the bowl to a saucepan, turn the heat to medium, and stir with a wooden spoon (silicon spatula) until all components of the mixture are well amalgamated.
6. Put 2 tbsp of sugar in a saucepan with 2 tsp of water, turn the heat to high, and melt the sugar until it is dark brown. Add it immediately to the egg and chocolate mixture, mixing it in thoroughly with a whisk. If it crystallises, don't worry as it will dissolve as it is whisked.
7. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. When it is cool, place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Put the mixture in your ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturers instructions.
I recently gifted myself with my very own ice cream machine. The minute I walked out of the store I knew exactly what recipe I wanted to try first - Marcella Hazan's world famous 'Gelato di Cioccolato del Cipriani'. Hence, I first came across this recipe years ago in Nigella Lawson's book How to Eat where she rightly declared it to be - 'the world's best chocolate ice cream'.
Having neither Marcella nor her book at hand, I decided to email Marcella directly and kindly ask her for the recipe. Never in a million years would I have dreamt that she would respond, because both you and I know that Marcella Hazan is 'culinary royalty'. Yet, to my utter surprise Marcella - the world renowned, celebrated cook and author did respond, and respond she did in just a little over twelve hours!
I was absolutely flabbergasted that she bothered to take the time to respond to an insignificant email, sent by a complete stranger about gelato! Such a simple gesture, yet in doing so, this culinary icon demonstrated to me the enormity of her character, passion, dedication and integrity, something that some of the 'ever so busy' and 'way too important' self-publishers out there unfortunately lack.
Hence, this is what the darling Marcella had to say:
Oh, Nanette, what a coincidence. I just made that gelato last Tuesday for my husband's birthday. I followed the recipe the Cipriani's pastry chef gave me almost 25 years ago which - if you are careful about following it literally - is foolproof. You'll find it in my third book, Marcella's Italian Kitchen, published by Knopf in 1986. It is still in print. I have made it so many times, always for my husband's birthday, for some of my classes, and occasionally for dinner parties. It has never failed. A very important step is to caramelize the sugar until it is extremely dark. Let me know how you make out. I hope your children like it. It is not very sweet.
Ciao, ciao
Marcella
So without further ado, I give to you Marcella Hazan's world famous - Il Gelato di Cioccolato del Cipriani recipe! And 'yes' Marcella, I followed the recipe to the letter and it was divine!
Il Gelato di Cioccolato del Cipriani
The secret to this gelato is the molten brown caramelised sugar that is added to the cocoa and dark chocolate, which intensifies both its flavour and colour. Essentially you are after the taste of burnt sugar as it's that 'smoky bitterness' that sets this chocolate gelato apart from all the others.
Recipe source Marcella's Italian Kitchen 1986
Ingredients
4 egg yolks (I used organic eggs)
130g plus 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
500ml full fat milk (I used organic milk)
100g dark chocolate (I used a min. of 70% cocoa solids)
40g unsweetened cocoa powder (I used 100% Dutch cocoa powder)
Method
1. Put the egg yolks and 130g of granulated sugar in a bowl and beat with a whisk until they are creamy and form pale ribbons.
2. Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan, then add it to the beaten yolks, trickling it in slowly and steadily and mixing it in with the whisk.
3. Melt the chocolate in the upper half of a double boiler, then pour it into the bowl containing the egg yolks and milk mixture, mixing it in thoroughly with the whisk.
4. Add and mix in the cocoa.
5. Transfer the contents of the bowl to a saucepan, turn the heat to medium, and stir with a wooden spoon (silicon spatula) until all components of the mixture are well amalgamated.
6. Put 2 tbsp of sugar in a saucepan with 2 tsp of water, turn the heat to high, and melt the sugar until it is dark brown. Add it immediately to the egg and chocolate mixture, mixing it in thoroughly with a whisk. If it crystallises, don't worry as it will dissolve as it is whisked.
7. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. When it is cool, place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Put the mixture in your ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturers instructions.
For a gelato slide show click here!
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Now u have me drooling and wanting to make this ice cream. I don't own an ice cream machine but my MIL has - so I'm going to forward this recipe to her and let her make it for me. :)
Nanette, that is amazing! Wow! Personally from the Master! And does that ice cream look out of this world. Truly the best chocolate gelato I've ever seen! You are bringing that machine to our get together in Italy and making this!
Wow! How cool is that. Love down to earth people! I'm going to have to try this one out, for my next dinner party! Thanks for sharing!
Bella, can't you just steal your MIL's ice-cream machine?
how smooth and luxurious! I am following this recipe to make my version too!
Nanette it looks rich creamy and delicious. I am now writing down the ingredients so that I can give this a try!
If I can make a suggestion Meeta - double the quantities!
Oh you decadent woman!
Great! It's hard to find a recipe for real gelato. How nice of her to get back to you so quickly!
My dear Nanette,
Thank you for your generous acknowledgment. I am so glad it worked out. Sometimes, if I am making it for new guests who I worry may not find it sweet enough, I top it with freshly whipped cream. I remember Julia telling me there are very few things that a little whipped cream won't improve. For myself, I prefer it straight.
My best, Marcella.
Ooooh caramelised sugar - I'd never think of adding that for Chocolate gelato. Looks utterly delicious like those found in gelato shops in Italy!
What glorious-looking gelato! I can only imagine that it tastes just as divine :) It is refreshing to know that well-known cooks like Marcella Hazan are keen to share recipes with bloggers. Good on you!
Now, who has an icecream machine that I can borrow??
Nanette, of all the gelato flavours available, I still go back to my fave...chocolate...nicely done for a Maltese gal! ;)
Delectable. Now I want an ice cream machine. How wonderful to correspond with Marcella Hazan. I have a book of hers with a rice gelato that sounds interesting.
Ahhhh that looks soooooooooo fantastic Nanette!! Sadly I'm out of cocoa to try it today, must fix that pronto.
Here I am at last, and what a great story, how gracious Marcella Hazan's response, how charming of you to tell it all as it was.
The ice cream looks superb, and I always believe whatever Marcella says (well, nearly always) so if she says no whipped cream, then I'll have it without.
What ice cream maker have you got MsGW? Mine is such a drag I rarely use it, and then we get such good gelato here in Bologna.
C
ps Get together in Italy? When ? Where? You can't avoid me twice in a row you know!
That looks amazing. I want to have a go at that too! And WOW! Marcella popped in! Fantastic. But it's a beautifully written post, so I'm not surprised she weighed in! x
Nanette, that looks beautiful! Not only beautiful, actually, it looks perfect!
I am prying my tongue off the computer screen so I can write this comment!! Bella, this is perfection, I knew you would make only the best gelato!
OMG , I just bought and ice cream maker last Friday and I was looking for good ice cream recipe.
OH MY GOODNESS!
This looks incredible, I wish I could taste it through the computer screen. Great job, the photos are amazing and I am sure the taste is out of this world!
Cheers!
Katie
Congrats (1) on the great-looking gelato and (2) on the wonderful conversation with a culinary icon. Yay for Nanette and Yay for Marcella!
Warmly,
Maggie B.
As the local guinea pig / friend / neighbour / mother of children's friends and co-conspirator to the 40th b'day party, I can categorically, 100% assure each and every one of you that this ice cream was something else......AND I am not an ice cream / gelati lover, so big call!
Thankfully I have Nanette next door to whizz up all these culinary delights, so no need to get my own hands dirty - and why would I when this is the result!!!???
I'm not lugging that machine on a 20hr flight! Plus I'm sure Deb has a gelato machine in that wonderful kitchen of hers in Umbria!
Penny don't change a single thing & you won't be disappointed!
Why not throw caution to the wind & live in a state of unrestrained culinary gratification every now and then!
Dear Marcella - Thank you once again for being so approachable and warm - you're an absolute darling!
Ciao
Nanette
Danielle what sets this chocolate gelato apart from all the others is the molten brown caramelised sugar that is added to the cocoa and dark chocolate. It intensifies both its flavour and colour and gives the gelato that 'smoky bitterness'.
Andrea I simply approached her as Nanette and she graciously responded as Marcella!
Well if truth be told I'm half Maltese & half Gozitan ;)
How exciting to get an email like that! I have been wanting to make a chocolate gelato for some time now- just never get around to it- now I will! Thanks! Great blog by the way!
This looks absolutely delicious. I love the deep chocolate color.
Oh bella I'm so glad my blog finally let you in! Indeed Marcella is gracious & grounded all at the same time.
My new best friend is a Cuisinart - Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker and I intend to give it a good run for it's money!
Would love to catch up with you soon in Malta or Italy to cook, chat & dream!
Thank you gorgeous girl for helping me out the other night and getting the recipe to me! Do give it a try, it's so easy & it seriously is the world's best chocolate gelato!
Coming from you Alice, that's a huge compliment!
Hey, do you want to make more gelato with me?!
Thank you sweetheart!