Vanilla Gelato With Cherry Compote Food

VANILLA GELATO BITES WITH CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Place a small tray or a plate in the freezer. Remove the gelato from the freezer to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the chilled tray from the freezer. Scoop out 16 bite-sized balls of gelato and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Remove from the freezer and quickly insert a wooden popstick into each gelato ball. Return them to the freezer for at least 1 hour.
• When the gelato balls have frozen with their sticks in place, place the chocolate in a double-boiler over very gently simmering water until melted. Next to the pot of chocolate, place the toasted, chopped hazelnuts in a shallow bowl.
• Remove the gelato balls from the freezer, 4 at a time. Working quickly, hold the gelato ball by the stick and dip into the melted chocolate, then dredge it in the hazelnuts. Return them to the freezer and continue with 4 more gelato balls, until all the gelato balls are covered in chocolate and nuts. Freeze the chocolate-and-nut-covered gelato for at least 1 hour.
• These are very fun, festive, and tasty. The ice cream scoop I used is a number 40 (holds 1 tablespoon, is 1 1/2 inches in diameter.)

CHERRY GELATO

Steps:

• Make gelato:
• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with tip of a paring knife into a small heavy saucepan. Add milk and a pinch of salt and bring just to a boil, then remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, whisk together sugar and cornstarch, then add 1/2 cup hot milk, whisking until smooth. Whisk into milk in saucepan. Bring to a simmer, whisking, then simmer, whisking, 3 minutes. Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl set in an ice bath. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from ice bath and chill, covered, 1 hour.
• Prepare cherries:
• Pulse cherries, sugar, and extracts in a food processor until finely chopped, then chill, covered, 1 hour.
• Make ice cream:
• Stir cherries with their juices into gelato mixture and freeze in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.

VANILLA GELATO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat milk and vanilla bean and scrapings. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and remove from heat. Steep for 30 minutes.
• Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, return milk to a simmer.
• Remove vanilla bean. Add half the milk to egg-yolk mixture and whisk until blended. Stir into remaining milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon.
• Remove from heat and immediately stir in cream. Pass mixture through a strainer into a medium bowl set over an ice bath to chill. Stir in vanilla extract, then freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Store in a plastic container.

DARK CHOCOLATE POTS WITH CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• First, make the compote. Tip the cherries into a wide saucepan with 2 tbsp water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. When the fruit starts to soften, add the sugar and brandy, then return to the boil, reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer for 15-20 mins until slightly thickened. Spoon into a bowl or sterilised jar and set aside to cool.
• Melt the chocolate, butter and 1 tbsp water together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Alternatively, do this in the microwave in short 20-second bursts. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
• Beat the egg yolks with 60g caster sugar until pale and creamy using a stand mixer or an electric whisk, about 2-3 mins. Fold this into the warm chocolate mixture. In a second bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining caster sugar to soft peaks (ensure the beaters are cleaned thoroughly first). Fold the whipped egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture using a large metal spoon, then divide between six serving glasses and chill for at least 2 hrs.
• For the cream topping, beat the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla using an electric whisk until thick, being careful not to over-whip. Top the chilled chocolate pots with a spoonful each of the cream and cherry compote.

EASY CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Put the cherries into a wide, deep frying pan, add 150ml water, then bring to the boil. Cook for 15 mins, stirring now and again until the fruit is starting to soften. Tip in the sugar, stir until it dissolves, add the lemon juice and brandy, then bring back to the boil.
• Cook for 15 mins until the fruit has collapsed a little and the sauce is syrupy, smooth and dark purple. Spoon a little of the juice onto a saucer and leave to cool for 30 secs. Push it with your finger; it's ready if the syrup wrinkles. Ladle into sterilised jars (see tip, below) and seal.