Homemade Strawberry Gelato

Active Time: 1 Hour Total Time4 Hours Freeze Time4 Hours
Yield: Serves 4

This smooth and creamy homemade strawberry gelato recipe, from Virginia’s Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards’ executive chef Ian Rynecki, will delight any strawberry lover. The gelato can be made with a standard ice cream maker. You’ll want to make an extra batch of the buttery cookies just to have on hand for snacking. The dough will seem crumbly at first, but it will firm up once chilled.

Ingredients

Strawberry Gelato

  • 3/4 cup halved (quartered, if large) fresh strawberries (about 1/3 lb.)
  • 1/8 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
  • 7 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 3/4 cups half-and-half
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon fat-free powdered milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Almond Shortbread

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Elder Flower Crème

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 oz.) elderflower liqueur (such as St-Germain)

How to Make It

Step 1

Prepare the gelato: Combine strawberries, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until berries are very soft, 20 minutes. Mash with a potato masher; cool completely, 30 minutes.

Step 2

Combine half-and-half, heavy cream, powdered milk, salt, vanilla, remaining 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, and cooled strawberry mixture in a large bowl. Process with an immersion blender until sugar is dissolved and ingredients are dispersed throughout, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.

Step 3

Pour strawberry mixture into frozen freezer bowl of a 1-quart electric ice cream maker, and proceed according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

Step 4

Prepare the Almond Shortbread: Place butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add granulated sugar, salt, and almond extract; beat on low speed just until incorporated. Gradually add flour, beating on low speed just until blended after each addition. Shape dough into a 4 1/2-inch square about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 325°F. Position rack in upper third of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 6-inch square (about 1⁄2 inch thick). Remove plastic wrap; cut dough into 4 (3-inch) squares. Transfer squares to prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each. Bake until shortbread is light golden brown, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Step 6

Prepare the Elderflower Crème: Beat all 3 ingredients on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Serve gelato with shortbread; top with Elderflower Crème.

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