I'm back in Italy for a week now, and I still can not get the food we ate this trip of my mind. There's really nothing like it. I've always been a sucker for good Italian food, so my expectations were obviously high enough to eat in Italy. Unlike Paris we left generally impressed with the food, I was scheming on how to recreate some of the best food I had since coming home.
I had gelato every day I was in Italy and was not as amazing as the gelato alla cannella we had to Giolittis in Rome. Andy and I were obsessed with her and had all the days we were there. It was oh so creamy and cinnamon flavor bursting. I tried my hand to find a version at home, and I'm so happy with how this turned out.
Even if I had my KitchenAid Ice Cream commitment from our wedding in August, this was my first time using it. Wow ... I thought my old was great, but the texture of the ice cream churned this baby was so creamy and almost custard-like. If you have a drummer and never want to try the homemade ice cream, I really recommend. How do you guys feel about an entire month of ice cream this summer? ;)
I know it's not quite the season of ice cream, but I could not resist trying my hand at this flavor. It would be amazing this summer on a peach cobbler do not you think? Or fall with apple pie? Or maybe like the Italians, in one shot of espresso affogato style?
This is a picture of (very excited too) outside Giolittis me on our last day in Rome ... I did you dream it!
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup cream
- 4 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the milk and cream and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin does not form until that the mixture boils light with bubbles around the edges. (Not boiling).
- Meanwhile, in a medium heat-resistant bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Temper the yolks by slowly pouring in the milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
- Return the cream to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. (When you run your finger over the back of the spoon, it will leave a line.) Do not boil.
- Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes. (To speed up the cooling process, place the bowl of cream in an ice bath and stir until the cream has cooled.) When completely cooled, gently stir in cinnamon and vanilla *. Store in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
- When the cream has cooled, pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.
Recipe adapted slightly from: Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto