I’ve been going through a dairy-free iced dessert phase recently, and this is one of the newest creations. The flavor and texture of this gelato is exceptional. It’s creamy, has a wonderful coffee aroma, and is perfect for that summertime treat, or that sophisticated dinner party dessert.
It’s simple to make and just calls for a few simple ingredients. For the best flavor, make sure you use espresso or very strong coffee, and duck egg yolks. The recipe also works well with decaffeinated coffee. I have included instructions for those of you who do not own an ice cream maker.
COFFEE GELATO – DAIRY-FREE
Makes 500 g (about 1 US pint), serves about 4
Adapted from Jacob’s Amazing Milk-Free Espresso Gelato
Ingredients
- 300 ml (1 ¼ c) freshly made espresso or very strong coffee
- 75 g (⅓ c) dark muscuvado (brown unrefined) sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 100 g (3.5 oz) egg yolks (about 3 duck or 6 chicken), beaten
Method
1. Stir sugar and honey into coffee until dissolved, then add the vanilla and salt.
2. Take 1-2 tablespoons of coffee and blend with the egg yolks, repeat.
3. Pour coffee into a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
4. Gradually add the yolk/coffee mixture, whisking constantly.
5. Heat gently for 3-4 minutes, or until mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
6. Pour into a jug and chill for 2-3 hours, or until cold.
7. Churn/freeze in an ice cream maker*, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a plastic/glass container with a lid and freeze overnight.
8. To enjoy, simply remove from the freezer 10 minutes before scooping and enjoying.
* If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled mixture into a durable container and freeze for 45 minutes. Remove from the freezer and stir it vigorously with a fork, whisk or hand (stick) blender. Make sure that you beat it up well, breaking up all frozen sections. Return the mixture to the freezer. Repeat this procedure every 30 minutes, stirring vigorously until the mixture is evenly frozen. This procedure will take about 3 hours in total.
This looks and sounds amazing! I still haven’t tried egg yolks in ice cream, but may need to trial since I hear that it yields such creamy results.
Hi Alisa, Thanks for passing by. If you do get around to using egg yolks, make sure that they are of the duck variety. Chicken eggs are just not in the same league when it comes to richness and creaminess.