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Monday, June 18, 2012

I Scream, You Scream

When I posted earlier this year that David and I were going to Rome, I received a couple of impassioned pleas to go check out particular foodie haunts.  One reader--I think it was Mike from The Culinary Lens--told me to go visit Gelato di San Crispino.  After a long, hot, jet-lagged day slogging around the Colosseum, Roman Forum and having the gates to the Baths of Caraculla closed on us because we were too late to get in, we decided to cut our losses and go get some gelato.  Smart decision.

Gelato di San Crisipino is tucked away on a tiny side street not terribly far from the Trevi Fountain.  It has a small sign out front, but the best way to locate it is a line of people out the door.  Once inside, there is a list of about twenty flavors, both fruit and cream, all made in-house.  Decide quickly, because the line moves fast and you don't want to be stuck stammering at the counter.

On that hot Monday, I selected zabaione, a cooked custard flavor, and chocolate rum.  David stuck with fruitier flavors, and we trekked up the hill to sit on a set of stairs and eat.  Let me tell you, it is worth the hype.  The flavors are pure and intense, and even the fruit flavors are unbelievably creamy.  It was almost enough to snap us out of our jet lag.  Almost.


That's David's "This is really good" face.
We went back two days later to see if it was as good as we remembered.  It was.

I once read that Alaskans eat more ice cream per capita than any other state in the country.  It seems a little random, but it's true that everyone is happy to see ice cream, particularly when it's homemade.  For a friend's birthday party, I made this gelato-like concoction.  It tastes like the best vanilla malt you've ever had.  Malt powder can be purchased from King Arthur's Flour.

This recipe has a softer consistency.  If you like your gelato firmer, freeze it in smaller containers.

Vanilla Malt Gelato
Adapted from Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Dessert Book

4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups heavy cream
2 cups 2% milk
2/3 cup malted milk powder
4 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until they are fluffy and pale yellow, then gradually whisk in the sugar.  Pour in the heavy cream and milk and whisk until thoroughly blended.

The gelato was particularly good with a homemade caramel sauce.

Whisk in the malt powder and vanilla, then allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes.

Pour into an ice-cream freezer and process until it is a soft-serve consistency.  For my freezer, this was about half an hour.

Transfer the gelato to a large storage container and stash in the freezer.

Makes 2 quarts.

37 comments:

  1. ice cream with the malt would taste delicious lovely for this season

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  2. My father's favorite frozen drink is a vanilla malt. I bet he would adore this ice cream.

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  3. Oh my gosh, I love that malted milk powder, it reminds me of when I was a kid, a looong time ago. I really wish I had an ice cream maker. Looks fab.

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    1. I think there are probably alternative ways to make it--it would be worth some research!

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  4. Ohh this may be my favorite Italy recreation of yours yet! Yum :) And on another note, Ben & Jerry's has a recipe book?? Ah!

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    1. I'll bet there's more than one by now--mine is about eight years old. It's got great basic recipes.

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  5. I'm loving your Italy stories and this gelato sounds sensational. I've only ever had chocolate malt. But this looks so good with the drizzle of caramel! Keep your Italian inspirations coming! : )

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    1. And this caramel is some of the best I've ever tasted--I think it's worthy of its own post!

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  6. You had me at the words Malt and Gelato. I think I love you.

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  7. thanks for the recipe

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  8. There a couple of outlets which offers gelato across Trevi Fountain. I can't remember which one outlet we tried but the gelato was superb in taste. Trevi fountain was like a mad house, in fact I had to squeeze myself with the many to take a couple of shots.

    I like your Vanilla gelato but just that I need to look for the malted milk powder. A scoop of this gelato will be a perfect closing after my dinner.

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    1. It's really lovely because it's not super-sweet. This isn't right across from the Trevi fountain, but a couple of blocks down on a side street. You definitely have to know where you're going, but it is so worth it!

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  9. We also sampled some gelato near the Trevi fountain...now I'll just have to go back to see if it was the same spot :) I love a softer gelato, so your recipe sounds perfect~

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    1. This was hands-down the best gelato I've ever had, though there was a tiny spot in Verona that came close.

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  10. This gelato make me want to fly to Italy,,Lol,,sound very popular,this gelato recipe sound Yummy too !!

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  11. Yum. Vanilla malt gelato sounds really good!

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  12. Getting shut out was a bummer but you made good on the gelato. It sounds delicious.
    Love your recipe. Vanilla malt? Who wouldn't :)

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  13. Malted milk powder...save me from myself.

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  14. Oh my goodness..that is soo good! I want some right now!!!!

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  15. Mmmmm... gelato might be my favorite thing in the world. I am so glad the trend has made its way to the US so I don't have to go all the way to Italia for it anymore! :)

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    1. We even have gelato in Alaska, though it's in a town about 50 miles outside of Anchorage--it's awfully good gelato, though.

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  16. I AM SCREAMING HERE, I WANT SOME. Wow, this looks FANTASTIC, perfect for a hot summer day in Florida!

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  17. my ice cream maker is begging for this to be made

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  18. Wow! You were in Rome? How did I miss this? Sorry but you need to go back. One of the best ice cream parlours in Rome is next to the Piazza Colonna (no relation, but who knows it probably goes back a few hundred years!) the Giolitti Gelateria. Incredible. Also amazing is your ice cream with the vanilla malt. I need to look this out since this isn't the kind of ingredient we can find easily here but already the mouth is watering and I'm dreaming of the malt my parents gave me when I was little. Viva ice cream!

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  19. While reading thru your post I almost that I am eating the cooked custard and chocolate rum flavor. I don't think Gelato have all these flavors here. Its really good and very popular, may be I did not see it.

    I scream for that vanilla malt gelato, even though I can't have malt.

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  20. This looks so amazingly good! I love gelato and I could eat it (or any ice cream) all year 'round!

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  21. When I was a kid I would eat malted milk powder right out of the jar. I also prefer a malt over a shake, so you can only guess that this is an ice cream that I would absolutely love!!! This is SO GOOD!

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  22. Awesome vacation, and trying out the local gelato has to be a highlight. Nothing beats this than making your very own gelato, nice!

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  23. During our Venice trip...we used to have a gelato a day, so as not to miss out on any of them....of course we did not work through all the flavours in 4 days...but your account made me remember our gelato craze :-)

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  24. I love gelato! There used to be a pretty authentic Italian restaurant pretty near us that made their own but it has since gone out of business. We have to trek downtown for any decent gelato now. (Which isn't a bad thing!) I have read that colder climates eat more ice cream. Why is that?

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  25. Ice cream/gelato in Italy... now that's something I can dream of until I get there some day. :) Your vacation gets better and better. :)

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  26. You made gelato!?! I am impressed/jealous. I could use some today, it's over 90 in Boston.

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  27. I've never made gelato! I need to find malted milk powder to make this. Looks so delicious... I can't wait to try!

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  28. I WANT gelato in Italy, too! Never made gelato but surely on my must make list.

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